High River Fire Fighters Gear Up For Fire Fit Championships

The High River Fire Department will be competing this year in the Fire Fit Championships on June 11-12 at Spruce Meadows.

The challenges are based on fire fighting tasks performed in common emergency situations and bragging rights are at stake.

Canmore Fire Fighter and Communications Coordinator Greg Schaalje says all of the participants know what the event is really all about.

"At the end of the day just seeing each other and seeing everyone together and the comradery is second to none. We've witnessed the Brother and Sisterhood of Fire Fighters over the last month over an unfortunate event but this just brings us together in another venue and it's an opportunity to have a lot of fun."

He says that participants range from the seasoned ten year Veteran to the first time Rookies.

One High River Fire Fighter has been training hard.

Competitor Ryan Wiebe says it's been a year of intense training and he says he knows as the event gets closer he'll be nervous but right now he's excited and prepared.

"It's actually exciting. This is my first time doing it. We have a relay team in there so there's five of us but I'm going to be registering on my own so I can see what I can do personally."

He says he's not kidding himself, it's his first time ever participating and he says he'll be happy with a completion time of around the three minute mark.

He says the seasoned fire fighters can typically do the event in just over a minute.

Communications Coordinator Greg Schaalje says it's an event that requires a lot physically and mentally from the participants.

"The Fire Fit Championships have been around for about 22 years. It's a display of fire fighting techniques that you will actually see your Fire Fighters use day in and day out. So we will be in full turnout gear going through the course and the course is made up of five different events."

He says the top three that qualify will continue on to the National Championships in mid September.

For more information click here: Fire Fit Championships