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Firefighters return from Canada as heroes

A group of Working on Fire (WOF) firefighters returned home after a 35-day mission combatting raging wildfires in Alberta, Canada.

The group of 200 firefighters and fifteen managers was the third group dispatched to Canada in June from the Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport in Mpumalanga. They sustained no injuries. The total number of managers and firefighters sent by WOF to assist in Canada’s wildfire crisis exceeded 600, a testament to the organisation’s dedication to combating global environmental challenges.

Firefighters dancing at the airport.

In Limpopo, 73 firefighters, of which one firefighter hails from the Mopani district, and two managers, Sello Kobe (ground operation manager) and Frans Mabitsela (regional manager), were part of the team. Kobe and Mabitsela shared the team’s experience in Canada where they were exposed to the strategies of Canada’s wildfire management and disaster response systems.

Also read: Tzaneen: #InternationalFireFightersDay in photos

Learning something new every day, they accumulated knowledge and techniques that enhanced their firefighting capabilities. They said they were warmly received in Canada and were treated as heroes by the local communities in Canada. Demonstrating WOF’s core values of adaptability and teamwork, they effectively assisted in managing Canada’s wildfire crisis, WOF said in a statement. “Through their contribution, they have not only protected communities and ecosystems overseas but also upheld the values of unity and compassion in South Africa’s fight for

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Emelda Tintswalo Shipalana

Tintswalo Shipalana, a journalist for the Letaba Herald, has been in the media industry for over a decade. She started her journey in radio, but ended up in print which is her first love. She joined the Herald newspaper as a cadet in 2016, where she graduated with a journalism qualification from the Caxton Training Academy. She also has a qualification in Feature Writing from the University of Cape Town and a Media Management qualification from Wits University. She is completing her BA Communication Science degree with UNISA. She sleeps well at night knowing she is a voice to the voiceless and her work contributes to promoting local talent, businesses and service delivery. Her love for her community keeps her working hard every day.

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