 |
| Firefighters from Fire Station 105 on McChord Field pose for a group photo after winning first place in the firefighter combat challenge July 26, 2016 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. The first place team completed the course in 3 minutes and 30 seconds. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Jacob Jimenez) |
Public Affairs / Published August 03, 2016
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. --
Air Force firefighters tested their skills against fellow JBLM Airmen and Soldiers during the firefighter combat challenge held July, 26 at Fire Station 105 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.
Seventeen teams from various units competed in the challenge performing nine different timed events. The event was held to commemorate the legacy of Air Force firefighters who have served here.
“This celebrates and memorializes their service,” said Master Sgt. Jose Cardenas, 627th Civil Engineer Squadron military deputy fire chief. “It shows other service members from around the base what our firefighters do every day.”
The event kicked off with participants registering as teams and creating team names. Following registration, participants and spectators received a safety briefing and a demonstration how to perform each event. They were also provided specific rules and guidelines to follow to not be disqualified.
“Carrying a fire hose is harder than it looks,” said Cardenas. “It awesome and an honor to see the base come together for this.”
Participants competing were required to first complete the hose pull event where they pulled a firehose filled with water to the next station and then tagged a team member in or completed the next event on their own. Following the hose pull participants were required to perform a body drag using a firefighter training aid.
“This was a lot of fun,” said Staff Sgt. Phil Anderson, 5th Air Support Operation tactical air control party member. “It was challenging and I like the teamwork aspect of it.”
The body drag was followed by a participants completing the Keiser Force Machine, a machine designed to simulate a forced entry using a sledge hammer. Participants then had to carry two-40 pound buckets to the next station, the hose throw.
This event required participants to speedily unroll two fire hoses and connect a nozzle.
Following this, was the hotel pack firehose serpentine cone course where participants had to carry a large fire hose around multiple cones.
Upon completion of this event, participants performed the tire flip event. For this event they had to flip a tractor tire ten times.
“I like a challenge, I think this is awesome because it challenges you mentally and physically,” said Spc. Rahjee Hajj, 1st Squadron 14th Cavalry Regiment, 1st brigade Combat Team cavalry scout. “I think this is a good way to promote teamwork between both branches of service.”
The tire flip was followed by a sled pull, weighing more than 125 pounds.
The finishing event was a bucket brigade requiring all team members to carry buckets of water to a small hut and throw the water out from the buckets so it would runoff into a trash can they had to fill up.
“After all the coordination, this event has turned out really well,” said Cardenas. “There has really been esprit de corps and the whole base came together for this.”
Once the final event was completed the clock stopped and teams found out how they did. After the last team competed, four firefighters performed the course in full fire gear to demonstrate how challenges like these would be accomplished in an emergency situation and to demonstrate the teamwork required to complete each task.
“These guys have a unique schedule, they are here 48 hours at time,” said Cardenas. “Having them compete against other units on base allows them to see other perspectives and interact with other service members.”
The event concluded with scores being tallied and awards being presented to the three teams with the highest scores. Team members that were part of the first place team each received engraved fire axes. Second and third place teams received engraved fire hatchets.
The winners were as follows:
1st Place, Dave’s Rock Stars from the Firehouse with a completion time of 3 minutes and 30 seconds.
2nd Place Fire Dawgs Stars from the Firehouse with a completion time of 3 minutes and 33 seconds.
3rd Place Surveying Samsquanches’ from the 627th CES with a completion time of 3 minutes and 40 seconds.
 |
| Firefighters from Fire Station 105 on McChord Field flip a tire July 26, 2016, during a firefighter combat challenge at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. Firefighters performed the course in full fire gear to demonstrate how challenges like these would be accomplished in an emergency situation and to demonstrate the teamwork required to complete each task. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Jacob Jimenez) |
 |
| A firefighter from Fire Station 105 on McChord Field, throws a firehose July 26, 2016, during the firefighter combat challenge at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. The event was held to commemorate the legacy of Air Force firefighters who have served at JBLM. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Jacob Jimenez) |
 |
| Firefighters from Fire Station 105 on McChord Field, participate in a bucket brigade July 26, 2016, during a firefighter combat challenge at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. The bucket brigade was one of nine different events in the timed fire fighter combat challenge. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Jacob Jimenez) |
