Saturday, May 27, 2000, 9:00 a.m.
Special Practice Date: May 20, 2000, 10:00 a.m.
Entry Fee: $ 10.00 per person

Event Rules
Course Layout
On-line Registration Form

Plans are well underway for the upcoming Sixth Annual Firefighter Challenge, which will be held on Saturday, May 27 on the midway of the 2000 Comcast Mountain Festival. This exciting event is a wonderful opprotunity to bring together firefighters from all over West Virginia and Southwest Virginia. At the 1999 Challenge, twenty-one different fire departments were represented.

The idea to stage this event was developed six years ago when the Combat Challenge gained national attention, and firefighters across the country stood amazed as competitors raced through the five grueling stations in unbelievable times at or under two minutes.   Immediately, several of Local 347's members said, "Hey! We could do that!" The Firefighter Challenge has always occurred in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce and Comcast Cable Co.'s Mountain Festival, which is held each Memorial Day weekend. 

The first two events were staged in Mitchell Stadium, using the stadium steps to simulate the Combat Tower, as well as several homemade props. The initial attendance was very good, and each year has brought better and better competition. Over the past three years, improvement were made to the Challenge, including securing a much better location, at center stage on the midway. An authentic climbing tower is rented for the event, and the proper hammers, sleds and mannequins were purchased.  A cascade air system is available on-site to replenish SCBA's. Several fire equipment vendors attend the event and display their products, and in 1999, Triad American LaFrance brought a new, custom ladder truck to the event.

Entrants in the competition must possess evidence of Firefighters Essentials Training and be associated with a valid fire department. They must also sign a liability waiver form before competing. Participants compete on at a time for the best time, and run the course in full bunker gear and SCBA.

Stage 1 involves carrying a high-rise hose pack to the top of a three-story scaffold. At the top of the scaffold, the hose pack is dropped, and another hose pack is hoisted from ground level to serve as Stage 2. The fire fighter then returns to grade level and enters Stage 3 (forcible entry), where he drives a heavy beam five feet with a sledgehammer. Once that is accomplished, Stage 4 demands that a charged 1 1/2-inch hose line be advanced seventy-five feet. At that point, the firefighter enters Stage 5, which involved dragging a 140-lb dummy seventy-five feet to the finish line.

Look to this site for full details and results of the 2000 Firefighter Challenge.

Recap of the1999 Firefighter Challenge

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