MARK ETHERIDGE: Firefighter Dino excels in all elements

Fire and water aren’t exactly the most complimentary elements in everyday life.

But sometimes opposites attract and for leading Cape Town fireman Dino Levendall, one led to another.

Action-man Levendall first attended the 2015 Police and Fire Games in Washington DC where the SA contingent brought back more than 30 medals.

Levendall won a bronze medal in the long jump at the exceptionally competitive games that are open to all active and retired law enforcement and fire service personnel.

He’s since gone on to win a good few medals at both the Police and Fire Games and the World Firefighter Games.

Now based in Goodwood and coming up for his 20th year as a fireman after starting in Atlantis and gradually heading south, via Melkbos to his current base, Levendall said many of the team members’ interest were piqued by the dragonboat racing category at the Firefighter Games.

“In Washington, we really wanted to take part in that because it looked like such fun but we really didn’t know what it was about.

“So the next year I went down to the V&A Waterfront here in Cape Town and hooked up with the local Paddlesnappers Club.”

The club is the continent’s oldest dragon boat club and Levendall started learning all he could about the water-based sport.

“They really opened their hearts and arms to us and we trained with them every Tuesday and Saturday, asking nothing in return from us.”

Levendall says that the training and tips the Cape Town-based firemen receive from their local club is invaluable on their overseas trips. “I became a snapper and also trained as a helm so now we have a backup helm in for the games.”

For his part Cape Town Paddlesnappers chair Nigel Wilson says: “Paddling a dragon boat is very different to canoeing or kayaking and the firefighters adapted very well to the skills required. It’s all about timing, with 20 paddlers on one boat.

“His input at Paddlesnappers has not only been his excellent paddling but he also trained as a helm and he’s been a member of our committee for many years and his input has been greatly accepted in general as well as for the many charities which we have supported.”

Next up for Levendall, who, even though he turns 56 in August, doesn’t have enough hours in the day to cram both work and sport in, are the World Firefighters Games in Aalborg, Denmark.

This will the 15th edition of the games and, says Levendall, it is a far more relaxed affair than the Police and Fire Games, which is really competitive.

“The games are open to firemen, reservists, volunteers, retired members, even family members, it’s all dependent on whether you have funds to get yourself over there.”

Like the Olympics and Commonwealth Games, events are incredibly diverse at the Firefighter Games. Track and field and cycling are staple events, but there are also codes such as tug-of-war.

There’s even a spin-off from the famous television series, The Amazing Race. “Teams search for items around the host city and have to follow clues, just like in the TV series, but at the games it’s obviously only around the city and not around the globe.”

It’s also a multi-skilled event, with winning the Cook-Off competition being one of the most sought-after prizes.

Very similar to the hugely popular international reality show, MasterChef, contestants are given a mystery box.

“No-one knows what the ingredients are, but you have to make do with what you get and come up with a meal in a certain time. Even the spices are there, though contestants are allowed to bring a maximum of four of their own spices to the competition.

Since the last games in Portugal, the Cook-Off boasting rights belong to SA.

And there’s a very close connection to Levendall in that father Steve Abrahamse is a firefighter and division commander at Goodwood Fire Station. He was joined by son, also Steve, in the Cook-Off.

“I’ve been to three games with him and almost felt like a son to him!”

Levendall has been to two Police and Firefighter Games (in 2015 and 2017) and two Firefighter Games in 2018 and 2022.

He’s one of those characters who can’t sit still and if he’s not on official duty, he can be found coaching soccer or volleyball or out on his road bike.

“I play all sorts of sports,” he says. “Not at the highest level, but I just love playing and exercising and competing.

“I do all the sports co-ordinating stuff and am also on the national games committee. I took over the secretary’s job in 2014 and have been helping ever since.”

Helping is second nature to Levendall and he has lent a hand (or in his case, legs) in aid of another needy charity for the past six years.

“There’s something called the Eyabantwana Trust in the Eastern Cape that me and a bunch of guys ride every year.

“We cycle from East London to Cape Town to raise funds for a trust that helps buy medical equipment for a children’s hospital in the Eastern Cape.

“We split up into different groups and each group will cycle about 500km split over four days or so.

“The amount raised differs every year. When I first started it was R250,000, but last year it was up to R380,000. The more we raise, the more we aim to raise the next year.”

Levendall, married with two sons, says the charity is very dear to him. “I just love giving back as much as I can to the community. I’m a firefighter, medic, senior fireman.

“My aim is always to give back so that some or other community benefits. People are always getting hold of me because of my contacts — if someone needs an ambulance, it’s a case of: ‘Let’s call Dino, he can organise’.”

If the roles were reversed on this occasion, what better way to warm a firefighter’s heart than contributing towards getting Levendall and his fellow firefighters to Denmark in 2024. Anyone wanting to help in any way can get in touch through this contact: Leon.agulhas@capetown.gov.za.