A group of young Sea Cadets were recently honoured for their quick thinking and brave actions while helping extinguish a fire that could have quickly turned into a raging blaze.
South Africa (12 January 2022) – The motto of the South African Sea Cadets is “honour and skill”, and like the Scouting movement, the Sea Cadets are taught to always be prepared and to take action when required.
A group of Sea Cadets were recently honoured for their quick thinking and brave actions while helping put out a fire!
It was a routine “practice day”, and all Officers and Sea Cadets were on board a training ship practising for their forthcoming prizegiving. The Officers were in the “wardroom” discussing the day’s activities when they noticed heavy smoke emerging from Sandvlei next to the unit towards the railway stations which the Sea Cadets use.
The Commanding Officer (CO) immediately ordered Officers Mario Aimes, Bradwyn Davids, Mikayla Pillay and Reuben-Lee Pillay, a Civilian Instructor Garth Drude, as well as a Sea Cadet, Able Seaman Alvandre Singani, to investigate while the unit raised the local Lakeside Fire Brigade.
“Grabbing two buckets and fire extinguishers, we headed towards the fire, which was between Lakeside and Steenberg stations.
We established that there were three big fires, of which two had spread due to the wind. En route, we extinguished two smaller fires using tree branches and moved to the main fire. These two smaller fires were extinguished before the fire brigade appeared on the scene.
The fire extinguishers and buckets came into play in tackling the main fire. While Reuben-Lee Pillay and I started fighting the fire which was spreading toward the nature conservation area, the rest of the team tackled the blaze against the train tracks,” Bradwin Davids explained.
The Fire Brigade arrived around 18h40, and those present assisted them further.
Once the situation was contained, the Fire Brigade ensured that the situation did not flare up again once the situation was contained. Fortunately, no injuries of Officers or Sea Cadets were reported.
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The Lakeside fire brigade thanked those members of the ship’s company for their quick reaction and assistance in ensuring that the fire did not spread.
“I am immensely proud of the TS Woltemade Officers and Sea Cadet who reacted immediately and supported the Lakeside fire brigade in extinguishing the fires. This proves the value of our training and preparedness to act when circumstances require,” Lt Gaylene Pillay concluded.
Bravo Zulu to those TS Woltemade ship’s company members who assisted in putting out the fire. This is why you do what you do! This is why you train! And this is why South Africa is so incredibly proud of you!
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