Last June saw Chestermere Fire Service (CFS) members Wes Beckner, Rob Barchard, Brett Brandon, Nick Stushnoff, Jake Gallinger, Joel Fournie and Jeremy Vitale participating in the FireFit Championships in Calgary.
In that first competition last year, CFS members Robert Barchard placed 56th with a time of 2:00:73 and Jeremy Vitale placed 79th with a time of 2:24:79 in the individual competition. But this year, the boys are headed back to compete – a larger, stronger team.
Just as in last year, the FireFit competition consist of the following elements:
• Stair Climb – this tasks has the firefighter running up a tower consisting of 40 ft./6 flights, or 60 steps, however you want to measure it. All while carrying on the outside of their shoulder a High Rise Pak, which is a 4-foot bundle of 4-inch hose weighing 42 pounds. • Hose Hoist – once they get to the top of the tower in task 1, they then hoist a 45 lb. Donut Roll of LDH hose which is connected to 5/8″ kern-mantle rope • Forcible Entry – Using a 9 lb. Trusty Cook shot mallet provided, the competitor pounds on the end of a beam until it moves past a designated marking. • Run – Competitors then walk or run as fast as he/she can around the hydrants a distance of 140 ft. then shoulders the nozzle end of a 1.75″ fully charged hoseline. • Hose Advance – he/she shoulders a 1 3/4 inch fully charged hoseline and drags it 75 feet. Once the nozzle crosses the 75-foot mark, the competitor opens the nozzle, hits the designated target with the stream of water, shuts the nozzle and places it on the ground. • Victim Rescue – firefighters must then get to the 165 lb. Simulaids Rescue Randy mannequin where he must be dragged backwards a distance of 100 ft.
Just like that year, members of CFS are participating in the relay and individual categories. Those going to the 2016 competition are:
Team 1:
· Jeremy Vitale (Firefighter)
· Derek Williams (Firefighter)
· Joel Fournie (Senior Firefighter)
· Craig Passmore (Captain)
· Jacob Gallinger (Firefighter)
Team 2:
· Wes Beckner (Senior Firefighter)
· Robert Barchard (Senior Firefighter)
· Brett Brandon (Firefighter)
· Geoff Standish (Captain)
· Nick Stushnoff (Firefighter)
The participants have been training since January which includes a pretty strict work out regime, healthy diet and running drills on a make shift course at the fire hall – similar to what they will be going through on competition day.
Now, here is how you can help. On Saturday May 28th at the Chestermere Landing starting at 7pm, the Chestermere FireFit Team is holding a fundraiser. This event will both raise funds for the Easter Seals and also to support the Chestermere FireFit team. This event will have amazing silent and live auction items, which include:
*Dinner at the Fire Hall
*A ride for your child from school in a fire truck
Any many more exciting and unique prizes! There will also be t-shirt for sale at the fundraiser that you can then wear to the competition when you cheer on Chestermere’s heroes.
“Road to Nationals” Spruce Meadows Southern Prairie Regional FireFit completion is June 11th & 12th at Spruce Meadows, but Chestermere Fire Service is only competing on Sunday June 12th.
Then they’ll be back competing at Spruce Meadows for the Canadian Nationals – Spruce Meadows – Sep 14, 2016 to Sep 18, and 2016.
Both of these competitions are open to the public and the members of CFS would love to see the community come out and cheer them on.
You can view all details of the FireFit Championships by visiting www.firefit.com and come on our to the event on May28th to show support to these guys that give some much to our community and ask for very little in return.
Good luck CFS 2016 FireFit Team!
