GILLITTS Fire Station is the busiest substation in the Durban Metro, with an area from Field’s Hill to Hammarsdale falling under the firefighters’ watch.

Rhys Kitching, station commander of Gillitts Fire Station, says the single fire truck is operated by four teams of four people.

C-Shift is made up of Rhys Kitching, Robert Drake, David Majola and Buyisiwe Mathe.

The C-Shift says their substation is the busiest due to motor vehicle accidents on the M13 and N3, and the prevalence of seasonal grass fires in the area.

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The firefighters have decades of experience between them.

Kitching’s background was originally in forestry, with some time spent at airport Fire and Rescue.

Drake joined the fire service after completing his schooling and has 40 years’ duty under his belt, with 28 of them at Gillitts Fire Station.

Majola started as a general assistant with the fire department, progressing up to a firefighting position. He has 30 years of experience and is well practised in fighting veld fires.

Mathe, a qualified firefighter for five years, joined a learnership program after reading a newspaper advert.

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Kitching says, “People don’t understand what we do; they think we rescue cats from trees. We do much more than that. Our top priority is obviously public safety.  We go to incidents where people are endangered, and we protect them. You must prioritise your responsibility of protection. It’s life, then property, then the environment.”

The average day at Gillitts Fire Station starts with a parade, followed by readiness vehicle checks where the equipment is tested and accounted for.

“Thereafter, daily duties around the station are carried out, then we might do a training drill to familiarize ourselves with equipment or techniques, followed by a lecture. Obviously, if we’re busy with calls, that’s different,” says the station commander.

Remaining fire-fit is encouraged through daily weight and cardio training. The fighters will carry an additional 26kgs with them once they are dressed in their protective clothing.

Mathe says the firefighters must do an annual ‘grinder’ test, to test their physical fitness.  “The test is strenuous because you’re given a certain time to complete it. For my age group, I must finish in 11 minutes,” she says.

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Kitching adds that it was previously focused on cardio with running and push-ups.

“Now, it’s combined with a specially designed obstacle course. You’ve got to do it within a specific time – it’s climbing stairs with a hose, pulling up a rope with a hose, and crawling. You must hold the ‘jaws’ at a certain height for a certain time. Then you sledgehammer something to move it and drag a big tractor tyre.  They are all tasks you need to be able to perform – it’s job-related,” he says.

The structural firefighting kit, or protective gear, includes a helmet, flash robe, tunic, bunker pants, steel cap shoes and gloves. The firefighters are meant to dress within 45 seconds of getting the call.

When asked how long the clothing would protect a firefighter should they be in the direct path of flames, Kitching responds, saying, “You know what happens with fire – the smoke gets to you first. You shouldn’t be put in an environment where the clothing is tested. You have your safety measures. If you don’t move, the Distress Signal Unit (DSU) will sound an alarm, and there is a warning whistle when your air goes down. It gives you a ten-minute warning to get out.”

The safety of his team and the public is at the heart of everything the Gillitts Fire Station commander does.

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY CALL: 031 361 0000

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