PICTURES: What it takes to feed Betty's Bay firefighters

Picture: Ayanda Ndamane African News Agency (ANA)

Picture: Ayanda Ndamane African News Agency (ANA)

Published Jan 20, 2019

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CAPE TOWN - Two women are working non-stop to ensure firefighters and rescue workers receive food after battling blazes in the Overstrand municipal area.

Jorika Rabe and Liz Cartright, both logistics officers and volunteer firefighters, have turned Crassula Hall in Betty’s Bay into a dining room for firefighters coming off the front line as fires continue to flare up in the area.

They have fought fires on the front line and have used the knowledge and experience they gained to cater for the current front-liners in a way that differs from what was done in the past.

“The way they (caterers) used to do it was to give firefighters cold meals and hot drinks, but that really doesn’t work because you get hungry (again soon afterwards), so we changed that and give them hot meals and cold drinks,” said Rabe.

“We also know from donations made that people give them chips, and we take that, but we’ll only give it to them after they come back from fighting a fire because eating chips will make you want to drink more water, and there’s only limited water while they’re out there.”

They have been living in Crassula Hall since early this month, sleeping on fold-up mattresses, and serving meals from 5am to 10am, and from 5pm to 8pm. 

“I live nearby, so every now and then we’ll go home quickly and take a shower and then we’re back. It’s 24/7 and we’re here to offer the firefighters and community whatever they need,” said Cartright.

Jorika Rabe serves breakfast to firefighters in Betty’s Bay. Crews are battling to put out flare-ups in Franskraal, and operations continue in Betty’s Bay. Ayanda Ndamane African News Agency (ANA)

Together with other volunteers who come and go, the women have produced more than 11000 meals in the past 18 days. 

“Somehow we haven’t run out of food. There have been days when we thought we wouldn’t have enough food for breakfast, and when we opened the back door in the morning, boerewors or something else was there, which shows how the community responds and gives thanks to the firefighters,” said Rabe.

The pair has helped to keep up morale among the firefighters, and members of the local community and children have drawn pictures and made cards with messages of support on them for those battling the blazes.

“Grown men have been brought to tears by the messages. One girl put little sweets with different messages for each of the firefighters,” said Cartright.

Notes that locals have placed on sweets for firefighters in Betty’s Bay to thank them for their service. Ayanda Ndamane African News Agency (ANA)

Busisiwe Mabedla-Attwell, 18, has been helping at the hall over the past seven days. “I’m home-schooled and I like volunteering at places and this one - it has a nice atmosphere. I don’t often get asked to do much at other places because I’m little, but it’s different here,” she said.

She helped at the hall as often as possible. “I’m normally here between seven and nine in the morning.”

Early this month, a woman in Pringle Bay died from smoke inhalation, and about 41 houses have been destroyed and 28 damaged since fires started in the area three weeks ago. 

In Hermanus, coffee shop owner Michael Bayer and members of the community sprang into action to save Hermanus High School’s AstroTurf field, putting out flames with the branches of trees.

“I think if the community hadn’t come together, the AstroTurf would have burnt, as well as the Bosko Church, which we also saved,” said Bayer.

On Friday, fire and rescue services contained a fire at Houw Hoek while teams put out small flare ups in Kogelberg Nature Reserve.

Weekend Argus

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