KeeshKeemequah, Manitoba, roared this past Saturday as four First Nations crews battled through a provincial Firefighting Competition that ran from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Hosted by the Dakota Tribal Council, the meet crowned Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation after four gruelling evolutions decided the day and reaffirmed Manitoba’s reputation on the national stage.
Teams, winners, and Manitoba’s edge
The field featured Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation, Pimicikamak Cree Nation (Cross Lake), Mathias Colomb Cree Nation, and Sagkeeng First Nation.
Sandy Bay sealed the title behind captain Josh Roulette with teammates Victor Beaulieu Jr., Joseph Prince, Mark Martin, Noah Mousseau, and Wade Malcolm.
Fire Prevention Officer Eugene Bernard set the tone for the day’s momentum when he said, “The event was great. It turned out better than I thought it was going to.”
Manitoba’s standing remained prominent heading into the 36th annual nationals next month. Bernard emphasized recent success, noting, “Manitoba won it last year.”
He added that Manitoba crews routinely contend for the top spot.
How the evolutions played out
The competition hinged on four timed evolutions that mirrored real-world fireground intensity and teamwork.
Crews opened with fuel removal, which saw fully geared firefighters shuttling 2½-inch rolled hose between the 50- and 100-foot marks in a relentless relay until every teammate cycled through.
They then shifted to thermal energy, a punishing sequence that combined battle ropes and 20 sledgehammer strikes on a tractor tire before competitors dragged a charged 2½-inch line 125 feet to knock down a target set 100 feet away.
As Bernard explains, “It’s just charged with water. For weight. So it’s fairly heavy.”
Momentum swung again during the water pack target throwdown. Teams started at the 50-foot line, filled backpack water packs at the zero line, hustled them forward, and knocked down targets at the 100-foot mark before tagging the next teammate to repeat the cycle.
The finale, portable dual pump, demanded precision under pressure as crews laid three hose sections from a portable pump, stretched to the 100-foot line, and coordinated water calls to alternate between two lines. The clock stopped the instant the final targets fell.
Wildfire-tested crews, fine-tuned skills
This summer’s wildfire reality sharpened the competitors even as it complicated training windows.
Bernard put it plainly, saying, “Sandy Bay had its own wildfires. All the communities had their own wildfires.”
The live-fire demands kept crews engaged and their techniques sharp, even while pulling them away from practice time for the event.
The day closed on a note of gratitude as Bernard added thanks to organizers, volunteers, and all teams for making the event a success.