Muscle & Fitness UK – July 2019

140 MUSCLE & FITNESS/JULY 2019

A light-hearted guide to what’s trending in the world of fitness, food and anything we just think is fun...

Fireman Fitness Competition Sets

Temperatures Rising

H

ertfordshire Fire & Rescue Service

is hosting a firefighter fitness

competition over two days, on the 27th &

28th July. It is to be held on Watford High

Street and will have 250 competitors

from around the world, racing against

each other for charity. The non-profit

event has sold out with competitors from

15 countries and 39 UK fire services

PHOTO CREDITS: KAROLINA KAY ZIEBA

IN THE NEWS

represented. The idea is to promote

health and fitness, whilst celebrating the

emergency services in the process. It

consists of firefighters as individuals and

teams, racing against each other in full

fire kit and breathing apparatus, carrying

out replicated elements of the firefighting

profession; hose hauling, hose dragging,

casualty rescue and climbing towers,

to name a few.

Age categories range from 18 to over

60 years old, females and males, making

it a very inclusive event, and all the more

inspiring for those watching. The event

always proves a great spectacle for the

general public and expects a huge

footfall of spectators attending the

competition and visiting Watford, whilst

also streaming the event live on the

internet via three different websites.

The competition consists of various

elements to test the firefighters’ fitness

levels:

• Run up four floors hauling up a 20kg
  hose pack, then run back down the
  stairs (touching every step)


• Run to the forcible entry machine and
  hit a 5ft 75kg beam with a 9lb shot
  sledgehammer


• Run 10m to a lightweight pump and
  connect one line of 70mm hose, then
  drag it out to 60m
  
  
  • Run 60m and make up one length
    of 70mm hose
  
  
  • Carry 4 x 20kg jerry cans 10 metres,
    and then run 50m
  
  
  • Pick up a 70kg rescue dummy then
    finish off by dragging it 60 metres
    to the finish line
  
  
  
  

It might seem easy to some

considering firefighters train and

perform all these elements within

their profession. However, putting

them altogether in a race environment,

wearing full fire kit and breathing

apparatus makes it a really arduous

challenge!

http://www.britishfirefighterchallenge.co.uk