Teen rescuer saves families from floods

On the night of the March 5 floods, while most sought shelter from the heavy downpour, 17-year-old Aurryn Gaertz, a Grade 12 learner at Curro Wilgeheuwel, ran toward danger in his turnout gear – a waterproof firefighting suit he had initially worn just to stay dry while opening the gate. Moments later, it became his armour for a much greater purpose.

Aurryn and his family were on their way to his cousin’s house for dinner when something caught his eye. Water was gushing out of a wall, and at first, he thought it was simply runoff. But then he realised it was coming from a house. The chilling sight made his heart race and without hesitation, he asked his mother to stop the car.

“As I walked toward the house, the severity of the situation hit me,” Aurryn recalls.

Thoughts flooded his mind. Are people hurt? How many are inside? Has the electricity been turned off? Suddenly, he was completely submerged. The garden was so flooded that he couldn’t see the swimming pool in his path. He fought his way back to the surface and climbed out.

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Reaching the porch, he saw water pouring out of the house. He hesitated before stepping inside, unsure whether the electricity was still on. But then he noticed the homeowner desperately trying to hold a window closed as water rushed in. That was the sign he needed, the power was off.

“I asked if anyone else was inside,” Aurryn says. “He told me his wife and kids were upstairs.”

Aurryn rushed to help, carrying the children out. But a new problem arose, the door was jammed. Thinking fast, he broke open a window near the door to get them out safely and his efforts didn’t stop there.

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He and others evacuated three more homes, making sure everyone was brought to safety. Then came another urgent plea, the homeowner’s dog was missing. The collapse of the wall had separated the pet from the family. Determined to reunite them, Aurryn and the team searched for the dog, eventually finding it unharmed.

Throughout the rescue, the harsh conditions made every step a challenge. Strong rapids rushed down the street, making it difficult to navigate. But one moment stuck with Aurryn the most.

“When I was carrying out a little girl, she asked me if she was going to die,” he recalls. “That moment hit me the hardest.”

Despite the fear and destruction surrounding them, Aurryn remained calm, relying on his training. Having completed online courses and trained with firefighters at Station 18, he knew how to assess the situation and act quickly. He believes that staying aware and keeping a level head are the most important skills for a first responder.

Now, looking back on that night, Aurryn feels grateful that no one was injured and the experience has solidified his passion for emergency response.

“I see myself continuing down the path of being a first responder in the future,” he says. Although his phone suffered severe water damage during the rescue, Aurryn says the experience opened his eyes to how quickly disaster can strike.