Wadeville firefighter inspires women through service and dedication

As the demands of emergency services continue to grow, female responders remain at the heart of saving lives and serving communities.

For 44-year-old firefighter Mercy Chauke, being a first responder is more than a job. It is a calling she has carried since her teenage years.

Her passion for emergency services started when she moved to Soweto and often saw Johannesburg emergency vehicles rushing past.

The sight of ambulances and fire engines responding to emergencies inspired her to one day become part of that world.

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Her biggest inspiration, however, was her sister, who worked as a nurse and also assisted in ambulances transporting patients to the hospital.

“When I saw ambulances, I had so much excitement over me. It was like I could drive with them immediately,” explained Chauke.

After matric, Chauke strongly pursued a career in ambulance services. In 2006, she obtained her basic ambulance assistant qualification.

She later realised that to be employed in the municipal fire department, she also needed firefighting qualifications.

“I completed my second matric in 2009, and in 2010 I went to Impact Emergency Technology College, where I obtained certificates in Fire 1 and Fire 2, Hazmat (hazardous materials) awareness and operations,” she said.

“My faith was strong. I was hoping to be in the fire department. At college, they trained us and always told us to be physically fit because that is key in this profession.”

Between 2011 and 2013, Chauke volunteered with private ambulance services, gaining valuable experience in medical emergencies and accident scenes.

“I would tell firefighters on scenes that I was coming to work with them one day. I made friendships and connections. I already knew a lot about the fire department before I was called for job interviews by the CoE,” she said.

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She said her ambulance experience played a crucial role in preparing her for the job within the municipality and taught her how to conduct herself professionally at emergency scenes.

“My duties as an ambulance assistant gave me a lot of experience. We dealt with medical emergencies and attended accident scenes,” she said.

During her job interview process in 2013, Chauke had to complete physical tests, including a 2.4km run, which she completed in 10 minutes.

“I passed all my physical tests,” she said.

In February 2014, she was signed as a reservist and posted at Etwatwa Fire Station. In 2017, she gained permanent employment within the City and was stationed at Wadeville Fire Station, where she joined the C Shift.

“We are still two females in the shift since then,” she said.

As a reservist, Chauke said her ambulance background gave her an advantage because fire and ambulance services often worked closely together.

“When we joined the city, I gained more experience in both fire and ambulance services. Since the fire and ambulances worked together, we worked alongside each other,” she said.

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Although she has built a strong career, Chauke still remembers the traumatic calls that shaped her early years in emergency services.

One of the incidents that deeply affected her happened while she was still a reservist. She responded to a fire where several shacks had burned. In one of the shacks, four children (they all died) had been locked inside while their mother had allegedly gone out drinking.

She said seeing the charred bodies of the children was one of the most painful moments of her career.

“The trauma of witnessing charred bodies burned by fire was hectic.

“It was almost like I could taste it or smell the scene on my uniform every time I put it on. I could not work well after that,” she said.

Another call that broke her emotionally happened in 2017 while she was working on an ambulance. It involved a serious motor vehicle accident with a truck.

“One call that broke me was an accident involving a truck. It was my first time seeing such horror. I saw a human heart, and people had lost eyes. It was too graphic,” she said.

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She transported one of the injured drivers to Thelle Mogoerane Hospital. After clearing the scene, she had to return to the station and continue with her shift.

“Seeing how my colleagues handled themselves after a scene gave me the courage to continue. They had to call chaplains to counsel me. I could not sleep after both scenes,” said Chauke.

With years of experience behind her, she said she has grown stronger and more prepared for the realities of the job.

“Now I am experienced. I can call myself a young veteran. It is a normal day on duty,” she said.

At Wadeville Fire Station, Chauke said she continued learning more about fire services and the discipline required in the profession.

She said firefighters are expected to complete checklists for both fire engines and ambulances, inspect equipment and report anything that is missing or damaged.

“Working at Wadeville, I learnt a lot about fire services. We had to do checklists for both the fire trucks and ambulances. We checked the equipment and reported missing items,” she said.

In 2022, Chauke obtained her Code 14 licence. In 2023, she qualified as a pump driver operator.

“When I first drove a fire truck to a scene, I was so excited. People are always eager to see a woman driving the trucks. It is an inspiration to young girls,” she said.

She said Wadeville Fire Station is built on discipline, teamwork and professionalism.

“Our station is high on discipline. Our uniform must always be on par. We counsel each other and talk about work. We do drills as a shift, where we discuss PPE, fire hydrants and other things so that we remain sharp on what needs to be done,” said Chauke.

“Our station is always clean. When we return from a call, we must clean the truck.”

For Chauke, the most rewarding part of the job is saving lives and helping people during their worst moments.

She recalled one incident in Wadeville where a man lost his hand while working with machinery. She said the team responded quickly and assisted him.

“After I dealt with the first trauma, I became excited to report for duty. When I am at home, I sometimes plan how I would tackle a scene should we receive a call like that,” she said.

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Over the years, Chauke has seen changes in the emergency services sector, especially after ambulance services were provincialised.

She said this changed the dynamics within the service, and some firefighters’ ambulance skills are slowly fading.

“Our skills in ambulance services are fading. Personally, I had to equip myself by obtaining my pump driver operator qualification, TRT, aerial training in 2024 and an instructor course in 2025,” she said.

She believes it is important for emergency workers to keep improving themselves and not rely on only one skill.

“It is important that I equip myself with further knowledge and not be a one-skilled or one-focused person,” she said.

As winter approaches, Chauke urged communities to take fire safety seriously.

She said residents must be aware of fire risks, especially during colder months when people use heaters, candles, braziers and other heating methods.

“Fire safety is everyone’s responsibility. We must make sure we do not have unnecessary fires,” she said.

Chauke said even firefighters face danger every time they respond to emergencies, which is why International Firefighters’ Day remains important to honour those who serve on the frontlines.

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“Even as firefighters, we are at risk. That is why we have the Firefighter’s Prayer and celebrate International Firefighters’ Day,” she said.

For Chauke, the uniform represents courage, sacrifice and service. Despite the trauma, pressure and danger, she remains committed to carrying the torch for female firefighters and inspiring the next generation of young women who dream of serving their communities.