FireFit Championships are Olympic styled matchups that pit firefighting teams against each other in spirited and friendly competition. The individual events in FireFit Competitions are based on firefighting tasks commonly encountered in emergencies.
For the first time, Humboldt has been chosen to host the FireFit Competitions which will be held at the Uniplex grounds on August 24 and 25. The event is open to the public for viewing, and it promises to be as enlightening as it is entertaining.
“The competitions are held throughout Canada and in fact around North America,” explains Humboldt Protective Services Chief Mike Kwasnica. “We were approached by Firefit Canada to host a competition for Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the Yukon.”
One of the first things people will notice on the weekend is a sizeable tower brought in to help with simulations, says Kwasnica. Firefighters will have to ascend the tower, drag hoselines to the top, drag dummies and simulate a forceable entry. These are just some of the activities attendees will see.
Events include a FireFit 3-5 person relay, a two-person technical relay, and individual categories for a variety of activities. The event is hosted by the Humboldt Fire Department, but there is plenty of room for community members who aren’t firefighters to participate in the set up and execution.
“What we’re looking for are volunteers,” says Kwasnica. “We need roughly 35 to 40 volunteers to help run the program. FireFit comes into the community, and they bring all the props and equipment. We help to set it up, and then we will assist them to run it. We’ll supply them with judges and manpower to reset the competitions once they’ve run.”
That may mean dragging dummies back to starting positions, helping to reset the tower, refilling air bottles for the breathing equipment or other various assigned duties. No related skills are necessary; training and guidance will be provided.
If you’d like a close-up look at the action and find out more about firefighting duties, consider volunteering by contacting Mike Kwasnica at the Humboldt Fire Hall.
Get set for high tension, hose hauling excitement coming to Humboldt on August 24 and 25.