Two Public Safety Emergency Management Services (EMS) employees from Joburg both received the Integrity Idols SA 2018 Award for their extraordinary contribution to youth development.
Integrity Lab South Africa hosted the first ever Integrity Awards at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town recently and Joburg’s very own Station Commanders Joycelyn Flank and Deon Esau were among the top five nominees to have received this reward.
They have for the past 14 years devoted their time and personal resources to empower young people between the ages of 12 and 18 with basic skills in fire and water safety, life, leadership and communications skills.
Commander Flank said: “It is humbling to be recognised for the work we have done. When we started this project is was not for the praise, but to change the lives of young people. I am very honoured and encouraged by this award.”
Each year Commander Flank and Commander Esau and their team take on 220 aspiring cadets and train them at the Florida Fire Station. Many of the cadets are from poverty-stricken communities and indigent families.
For about eight hours every Saturday and Sunday, the children commit themselves to learning life-saving skills that will advance and impact their lives and the lives of the people around them in a positive manner.
Commander Esau also added, saying: “It’s incredible to be amongst such great leaders of our society; who do their best every day to impact positively on the lives of others, to share a stage with these awesome people is simply amazing.”
Once the cadets have completed the full programme and reach the age of 18, they become eligible to enrol in the EMS Explorer Programme for the full preparatory training to become qualified fire fighters or Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT’s).
The life-changing contribution by Commanders Jocelyn and Deon to the lives of young people is immense. They have saved hundreds of young people from falling into praying hands and drug addiction. Instead, these young men and women will have competitive advantages to live a better quality life and uplift the communities around them.
Since the inception of this programme, many of the Cadets and Explorers have become qualified fire fighters and EMT’s for the City of Johannesburg, other metropolitans, the provincial government and other private institutions.
It is for this achievement that Jocelyn and Deon were awarded this prestigious award, in recognition of selfless work by civil servants who have gone above and beyond the call of duty across the country.
Johannesburg MMC of Public Safety, Councillor Michael Sun said: “The commitment and achievement by Jocelyn, Deon, and all the Cadets and Explorers humbled us all and we are proud to be part of their journey and will continue to support them in these programmes. I want to express our appreciation to them for flying the Joburg Emergency Management Services’ flag high and I look forward to seeing more young people joining the City’s emergency services. We also want to express our congratulations to all other winners of the Integrity Idols Awards, as they are true examples of civil service and society.”
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