Firefighters Trade Saving Lives for Bringing Lives Into the World

Photo Credit: JP Smith

Cape Town firefighters have helped bring three babies into the world this December to the gratitude of new moms and many families!

Cape Town, South Africa (17 December 2024) — Forget your partridge in a pear tree or 12 drummers drumming. The 12 Days of Christmas has taken on a whole new meaning for the City of Cape Town’s firefighting team! This festive season, Cape Town firefighters took some time to trade saving lives for bringing lives into the world after they assisted in delivering three newborns.

Mfuleni Fire Station has been at the centre of all the action; playing a leading role in two of the three (and nearly four) extraordinary moments.

The first of the trio deliveries took place right at the start of the festive season.

“On 1 December, two firefighters at Mfuleni helped deliver a healthy baby boy,” recalls a proud Alderman JP Smith.

Then, only a few days later, on 4 December, firefighters at Gugulethu Fire Station helped deliver the first half of a set of twins early in the morning. The younger of the two was later delivered in hospital.

As for the most recent delivery, 12 December saw firefighters trade battling blazes for another kind of help once again when a mom arrived at the fire station with her baby girl ready to join the world.

“Firefighters jumped into action, and within 45 minutes, they had helped her deliver a healthy baby girl, and cut the umbilical cord. Mom and her bundle of joy were transported by ambulance to the Khayelitsha District Hospital,” shares Alderman JP Smith.

He adds affectionately, “At the rate our staff are going, we could very well have a junior fire crew by the end of the month.”

All the births were free of complications, and both moms and their tots were healthy and happy.

“Fires tend to take most of the focus,” JP Smith says. “But it is called the Fire AND Rescue Service, and these incidents serve as a timely reminder of that.”