Westminster Firefighter Combat Challenge

[Tandem]

I know a lot of folks consider their favorite sports champions to be heroes. Let me tell you, these guys (and gals) are the real heroes. They put their lives on the line every day in order to keep us safe. They work hard and they play hard. I had the honor Saturday to photograph them playing in their own sporting event, the Firefighter Combat Challenge.

The media guide describes the event better than I can.

The Event
Wearing "full bunker gear" and a Scott breathing apparatus (SCBA), pairs of firefighters simulate the physical demands of real life firefighting by competing on a linked series of five tasks. Dominating the landscape is a five-story hydraulic tower, the centerpiece of all the activity. Competitors climb to the top of the tower carrying a 42-pound high-rise pack; then hoist a 42 lb. hose roll to the top; next they descend to the ground floor where they simulate chopping by swinging a 9-pound shot mallet on the end of a 160 pound steel beam. They then zigzag 140 feet through simulation hydrants to the fourth station, where they advance an attack hose a distance of 75 feet; and finally, competitors drag a life sized, 175 lb. "victim" a distance of 100 feet to the finish line.

Both the 5-man team and 2-man tandem championships were run on Saturday.

1. The start, getting ready to race up the tower.
http://coloradosprings.smugmug.com/photos/87802452-M.jpg

2. At the top, hoisting the second hose.
http://coloradosprings.smugmug.com/photos/87801332-M.jpg

3. Simulated wood chopping. They have to move the steel beam all the way to the back of the stand.
http://coloradosprings.smugmug.com/photos/87803223-M.jpg

4. Advancing the attack hose. Note that it is fully pressurized.
http://coloradosprings.smugmug.com/photos/87803387-M.jpg

5. At the end of the run with the hose they break through swinging doors and then knock out a target with the spray.
http://coloradosprings.smugmug.com/photos/87806375-M.jpg

6. Now they have to race 100 feet with a 175 lb dummy uphill to the finish line.
http://coloradosprings.smugmug.com/photos/87807858-M.jpg

7. A firefighter from Westminster celebrates after a heat victory.
http://coloradosprings.smugmug.com/photos/87803734-M.jpg

8. Team Stihl entertains the crowd by doing the "Chainsaw Shuffle"
http://coloradosprings.smugmug.com/photos/87799297-M.jpg

More photos at http://coloradosprings.smugmug.com/gallery/1767267

[dpurslow]

fantastic ! and hats off to those guys they do one hell of a job

[superdiver]

Great story with your pictures!

[Speedsixnine]

Unique sport, great shots.

[rgaya]

i would love to shoot one of these competitions, not sports... i think 4,6,7 are your best shots because you have their facial expression which adds a lot to the shots... good stuff... i saw that you have 70-200 f4, 300 f4 IS and a 70-200 f2.8 IS, 400 f2.8 IS???? why do you have both both the f4 and the f2.8?

[Tandem]

Thanks for looking and for all the comments.

Why do I have f/4 and f/2.8 versions? The biggest reason is that I bought the f/4's first and then found that I needed the f/2.8's for low light both for indoors and for night games. The f/4's are perfectly fine for daytime use outdoors and have the advantage of being much lighter in weight. I used the 70-200 f/2.8 IS for a soccer tournament and found out that I was ready to hang it up after 4-5 hours because of the weight. I may build up enough muscle and endurance over time that I don't use the f/4's at all and then I'll consider selling them.

As for it being a sport, you can make a good argument either way - the same as for gymnastics and figure skating. It was being recorded by ESPN for later broadcast but even that doesn't automatically qualify it as a sport. In the old days you might see it broadcast on ABCs Wide World of Sports along with the Lumberjack Competitions. I put the photos on my website under events more to balance out the events and sports categories than for any other reason.

[rgaya]

ohh i didnt comment about the fact that you posted these photos in the sports section but because the post before mine said "unique sport". And well i think that its more of a competition than a sport.

[kiwimuzza]

Great Pics, That challenge is hard work (speaking from experience here) great captures I'm sure the guys & gals will love them.