THIS year’s Cheshire Firefighter Challenge was ‘the most successful yet’ – with 100 firefighters from all over the world taking part.
More than £1,200 was raised for The Fire Fighters Charity by the “virtual” event – part of which took place at Warrington’s Birchwood Fire Station.
Publicity generated for the event led to firefighters entering from all over England and five other countries – Germany, Austria, Belgium and, for the first time, New Zealand and America.
They all filmed themselves completing two timed runs, and for the third year running Simon Calvert, an on-call firefighter at Middlewich Fire Station, recorded Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service’s fastest time.
The service’s fastest woman was Warrington Fire Station firefighter Abi Van-Loon.
Overall winner was Aaron Childs, a firefighter at Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Station manager Mark Pollard, who organised the event alongside fellow on-call Birchwood Fire Station firefighters James McCall and crew manager Ryan Cook, said: “We are delighted that so many people took part and we raised over £1,200 for The Fire Fighters Charity.
“The Cheshire Firefighter Challenge has grown in popularity and momentum since the inaugural event was held in 2019.
“This year’s event was undoubtedly the most successful yet.”
The challenge consisted of: A 200-metre shuttle run (four 50m runs), a 20m hose reel drag, a 20m hose reel pull, a foam drum carry (carrying four 25 kilograms foam drums for 10m), rolling out a full length of 25m 70 millimetre Duraline hose, making up the same length 25m 70mm Duraline hose, a50m Duraline 70mm hose run, a 50m 70kg casualty drag.
The firefighters had to complete the course in full firefighting kit while wearing breathing apparatus.
Over the course of the event, competitors moved the equivalent of 10,000 litres of foam for more than two kilometres, dragged the equivalent of seven tonnes of casualties for 5km, ran out and made up over 12km of delivery hose and racked up more than 25 hours of activity and footage.
Event sponsors were De-Wipe and Oaks Fitness Club.
For more information about the Fire Fighter’s charity visit www.firefighterscharity.org.uk.
