Articles

by Lt(N) Petie LeDrew

Quinte West residents had the opportunity to watch some very fit people in action in late July as the city hosted the Lake Ontario Regional Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge. One hundred and fifty participants from Ontario, Quebec and New York State took up the challenge, dubbed the "Toughest Two Minutes in Sports".

Military firefighters from 8 Wing Trenton competed against their civilian counterparts in a battle of skill not seen very often in this community.  Colonel Tom Lawson, the Commander of 8 Wing Trenton, expanded on the close relationship between the area and 8 Wing by highlighting the fact that one of the Wing's firefighters, Sergeant Bob Comeau, also volunteers with the city's fire department.

"I really can't lose today," said Col Lawson. Not only did Sgt Comeau compete on two teams, he helped organize and set up the event, demonstrated the course to the other participants, and acted as an official once he was done competing.

Under clear skies and with temperatures reaching 27 ºC, firefighters from near and far suited up in full gear and showed the crowd the skills needed in their job.  Since there were no age, gender or size restrictions, the group was diverse. The youngest competitor was 18 years old; the oldest was 57. New firefighters competed alongside veterans. Nine women participated, including Private Jessica Summerhayes of the 8 Wing Trenton team.

One of three rookies on the team, Pte Summerhayes, a fairly new firefighter for only one year, competed in her first challenge with Sgt Comeau, Corporal Jacques Caron, Cpl Jacques Martin and Pte Rick Kennedy. Only Sgt Comeau and Cpl Caron, both veteran firefighters, had previous competitive experience, with 18 and five challenges respectively. Pte Summerhayes pushed herself hard, and everyone cheered for her tremendous efforts, both in the relay and individual events.

Pte Kennedy, who is doing on the job training (OJT) at the fire hall for the summer, entered the competition at the last minute. With little training and preparation, he finished in 41^st place in the individual event. "It was more like I was happy that I finished," said Pte Kennedy when asked what he thought of the experience. "I would love to do it again. I thought it was amazing and I had a great time competing," he added.

Cpl Martin, a recent addition to the military firefighting force and a first-time competitor, confirmed that this is indeed the toughest two minutes in sports. "It was the toughest 2:32 minutes of my life... but it was worth it," he said, adding that he will train better in the future in order to improve his performance.

Cpl Caron, a member of the organizing committee, spent countless hours over the weekend to ensure the competition's success. The team's captain, he finished 13^th in the over-40 category. For him, participating in such competitions is a way to challenge and improve himself. "I am doing this because I can push myself to my limits and see how I can improve my technique," he said.

Sgt Comeau summed up what most experienced competitors feel about these events. For him, the challenge and the fitness aspect of the competition, as well as the camaraderie among firefighters are what it is all about.

After training together since mid-April, the members of the 8 Wing team showed tremendous tenacity, teamwork, dedication and drive. As a result of their efforts, they placed 11^th overall.

For information on being a firefighter in the Canadian Forces, please visit http://www.recruiting.forces.gc.ca/

For information on the course, competitions, fire safety, and the result of the Lake Ontario Regional Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge, please visit http://www.firefit.com/