The Chestermere fire department is looking for a strong showing at the annual Firefit competitions when they come to Spruce Meadows in Calgary for the Alberta regional qualifiers next month from June 11-12.
In many ways it can be described as the Olympics of firefighting. The competition will attract fire departments from across Alberta to compete for a chance to travel to Ottawa for the national championships in September.
From there, teams can earn the right to compete internationally.
The relay consists of a series of events designed to push the limits of preparedness, including a stair climb, hose hoist, forcible entry and victim rescue over a predetermined obstacle course. Naturally the fastest times win.
According to team leader Robert Barchard, the competition is a chance for to hone up on real-world firefighting skills while engaging in friendly competition with departments from across the country and the province.
“It helps you stay ready for when we have to go do it in real life. Some guys do it for their competitive nature and some guys as an excuse to stay fit,” he says.
Chestermere, in only its third season, has doubled the size of its team from seven members to 14 and managed to qualify for nationals last year. The teams to beat in the province are the City of Calgary and Fort McMurray, which staged a full team last year in spite of the fires that devastated the northern part of the province.
The event is also open to various volunteer and industrial departments. Participation is voluntary, which means team members largely donate their own time.
At a recent practice, it’s clear the local team is taking it seriously. The world record time for the relay is 1:09 and teams last year put up 1:10. Barchard says anything under 1:30 is a good time and the locals are aiming to top a personal best of 1:21, which he thinks should be enough to qualify for nationals.
“We’re just getting into it,” he says. “It’s kind of cool that in three years we’ve doubled the size of the team. We’re starting to nip at the heels of the big teams and on the national level we’re getting close.”
Barchard adds that the event has been enthusiasticlly embraced in the community which has helped increase the morale of the entire department. He’s hoping for a strong local turnout at Spruce Meadows.
Last year we had such a good showing of support from the community and hope to see everyone out at the competition.”
