City's enforcement and rescue services square up in physical assessment challenge
24 March 2023
Seven teams from five departments within the
Directorate faced off in a series of tasks, designed to promote physical
fitness and a bit of friendly competition
On Friday, 24 March 2023, the City's Safety and Security Directorate hosted its first ever inter-departmental fitness challenge.
Seven five-member teams from various departments faced off in the challenge.
Metro Police, Law Enforcement, Traffic and VIP Services staff members tested their mettle in the Fire and Rescue Service's domain.
'This was not about winning or losing, but rather to focus on the importance of physical fitness in the safety and security environment, and to further enhance inter-departmental relations. Employee health and wellness has always been a focus point for me, where I have advocated for additional fitness facilities and professional fitness coaching. We have made some strides in that regard, but given the operational priorities, it is not always possible to have our staff partake in a regular, work-sanctioned fitness programme.
'There is no doubt that our firefighters do more heavy lifting due to the nature of their jobs, and because they partake regularly in fitness challenges and other competitions, we thought to have this inter-departmental fitness challenge, and invited other departments to compete against the firefighters. Each competitor would have left the arena, knowing how well they performed and what it means for them personally to have undertaken what are some incredibly tough tasks. I want to congratulate each and every one of them for taking up this challenge,' said the Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
'I so enjoyed joining the Cape Town Safety and Security Services fitness test day, and I'm quite proud that I was even able to complete the course, in a respectable time. I'm (getting) fit for office. But I was even more proud to see our fantastic service men and women showing off their fitness and passing with flying colours. Capetonians can know our Fire Service, Metro Police, Traffic Services, Law Enforcement and Disaster Management staff are ready to chase criminals, save lives and do their best for you,' said Executive Mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis.
Competitors were required to complete the following:
· Step up, which requires them to complete 30 repetitions of stepping up and down a 200mm high platform, while carrying a high-rise pack/hose bundle of two lengths of hose, weighing 20 kilograms, within 90 seconds
· Charged hose drag and pull – dragging a charged 45mm line for 27 metres, and then pulling the remainder of the line a further 15 metres, within 180 seconds
· Ladder raise and extension - to raise a 7-8 metre aluminium ladder and then immediately hoist a 35kg drum until it touches the ladder's pulley (simulated fly hoist), and then lower the first ladder, within 60 seconds
· Equipment carry - To pick up two foam drums (weighing 25kg each), and carrying the drums for 25 metres around a beacon and back, and setting them down on a 1,2m high stand, within 60 seconds
· Forcible entry - using a 6 kg sledgehammer to hit a tyre (22,5 inch x 146mm x 150mm) over a distance of 60 centimetres within 60 seconds
· Rescue drag - drag an 80kg mannequin for 11 meters around a marker and back to the start for a total of 22 meters within 60 seconds
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
