MIDDLETON, N.S. — Firefighters from Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Ontario, B.C. and Maine will be gathering in the Heart of the Valley this summer to showcase their firefighting skills and athleticism during the Atlantic Canada FireFit Championships.
The Middleton Fire Department is hosting the event at the NSCC Annapolis Campus Aug. 3 and 4. Competitors hope to qualify for the 2019 Canadian National & World FireFit Championships being held in Oshawa, Ont. in September.
Individual firefighters and teams will be judged in events that simulate activities they would do at a fire scene, including carrying and hoisting hose up several flights of stairs while wearing all their equipment, advancing and using a hose, running, forcible entry and rescuing a 185-pound mannequin named Randy.
Middleton Fire Chief Mike Toole said in an interview the victim rescue at the end of the course is the most challenging aspect of the competition.
“It simulates what happens when a firefighter goes down if we are in a burning building. It can happen because their air gets low, they trip and fall, or the heat gets to them. When they go down we have to get them out of the building, and it’s not that easy,” Toole said.
Dustin MacNeil has been a member of the Middleton department for four years and has participated in two previous FireFit competitions. He agrees the victim rescue near the end of the course is a daunting challenge.
"You are very tired near the end of the event. You are physically exhausted, and you are trying to focus on your legs mentally. The first time I did it, I was surprised at how challenging that drag feels at the very end.
BIG BENEFITS
Toole said his department has wanted to host the championships for some time.
“It benefits the community economically,” He said.
“It will bring business to motels and campgrounds. And I’m sure all the local grocery stores and restaurants will benefit as well.”
He also said watching the firefighters show off their skills may encourage spectators to become volunteer members of their local fire department.
Ryan Robertson is a military member and a volunteer firefighter in nearby Nictaux. He’s training for the championships with members of other Valley fire departments. He’s been to several championships as a spectator, but this will be his first event as a competitor.
“I entered to try and push myself to improve my fitness level a little bit, as well as have some friendly competition with some fellow firefighters,” Robertson said.
“It’s going to be difficult for sure. But I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
FireFit Championship events are often covered by the media and draw spectators from the public as well as firefighters and first responders.
“You really see the athleticism of some of the competitors and its quite a spectacle,” MacNeil said.
