A team of six Vandenberg firefighters competed in an international touring and television sports event Oct. 26-29 in San Diego, Calif.
According to the event’s official website, The Firefighter Combat Challenge, otherwise known as, “the toughest two minutes in sports,” seeks to encourage firefighter fitness and demonstrate the rigors of the profession to the public.
“The teams must wear full bunker gear and the SCOTT Air-Pak breathing apparatus as pairs of competitors race head-to-head,” said Dan Ardoin, Vandenberg Fire Department division chief. “Wearing the gear simulates the physical demands of real-life firefighting while the teams are performing a linked series of five tasks including climbing a 5-story tower, hoisting, chopping, dragging hoses and rescuing a life-sized, 175 pounds ‘victim.’ Teams are racing against themselves, their opponent and the clock,” Ardoin said.
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