Firemen and Firewomen competing
Firefighters compete in daring
National Firefighter Combat Challenge
The challenge seeks to encourage firefighter fitness and demonstrate the profession's rigors to the public.
Wearing "full bunker gear" and the Scott 5.5 Air-Pak breathing apparatus, pairs of competitors race head-to-head as they simulate the physical demands of real-life firefighting by performing a linked series of five tasks including climbing the 5-story tower, hoisting, chopping, dragging hoses and rescuing a life-sized, 175 lb. "victim" as they race against themselves, their opponent and the clock.
OK, here is how it all played out... They had a National Fire-person's Competition across the street from my marina. It was set up in the parking lot of the Manatee Center and ran Fri-Sun. Over 40 states entered, along with a Team from Kuwait. Lots of teams from Florida. Friday the competition was an individual event running the entire obstacle course. These were all timed heats to determine the winner. They were in full gear, and breathing air from the bottle. You start at the bottom of the four story tower, carrying up a 40lb hose. At the top you drop the hose and pull a rope, to lift a second 65lb rolled hose. Then you drop that and run back down the stairs to climb up on the Keiser Sled. The Keiser is to simulate chopping into or through something. You pound on this thing with a huge sledge hammer till it crosses a line. Next you drop the hammer and run a zig zag between some cones to the actual fire hose. Drag the hose back down the tarmac about 100' then shoot it at a target. After hitting the target, drop the hose and pick up a 170' dummy. Last thing is to drag the dummy about 100' to the finish line. I saw several times around three minutes. I heard a guy did it in 1:21. I can not imagine ME making this course, sans any gear, sans any lifting, carrying, or dragging in under 1:21. The sheer physicality of the challenge is daunting. I guess that's why all the teams were trim and buff, and mostly very young. That was Friday's competition which ran from about 5p till 9p. Saturday was an individual day with competitors doing their one best event against a clock to find the fastest at each discipline. Then Sunday they had full teams of four who carried a baton and did hand offs between tasks. (note: in one tower rope shot the guy has the baton stuck ON his helmet and in one Keiser sledge photo the guy has the baton IN his mouth.) It was very fast paced with lots of team rivalry. Also notice the husband and wife groups who had their infant children with them. It was all quite family friendly. I had a blast and am glad i attended each day.
A special thanks to all the Fire Fighters who let me photograph them!
Lady Firewoman dragging dummy
This lady FireWOman is the person dragging the dummy in the above video.
She is part of the 2019 winning ladies team and also competed in some individual events.
Buff, Trim, and ready for a Fire.
The Team from Kuwait
Running the relay carrying a baton.
In my next life I want to come back as a Fire Fighter!
I want to be young and strong...
-dreaming Skip
