Ten students with Fleming College’s Firefighter Education and Training program will try to prove they are the fastest, strongest and most physically fit soon-to-be firefighters in the country.
WATCH: Firefighters put skills to the test at Firefit Challenge
The Canadian National FireFit Championships, which run from September 6 to 10, is an annual competition based on firefighting tasks commonly performed in emergency situations.
Participants take on a course comprised of six gruelling physical tasks to test their strength, endurance, and overall fitness.
Competition categories include individual contests and team relays, and competitors have dubbed the contest the “toughest two minutes in sport.”
“Participation in this sport not only fosters a solid commitment to a very high level of firefighter fitness but also encourages our team members to approach any challenge with a newfound belief in their own capabilities,” says Shawna Coulter, coach of the Fleming team.
“Training and competing at this level requires as much mental strength as it does physical, directly influencing career readiness and success rates of our past members in securing and excelling in firefighter careers.”
The Fleming team is hoping to build on a winning record – in 2016, Fleming won a gold medal in the relay race as well as a silver in the co-ed two-person relay, and the team had the second fastest rookie competitor in all of Canada.
“The benefits (of preparing for the FireFit Challenge) are immeasurable,” Coulter says. “The physical skills and capabilities learned are directly transferable to the fire-ground. The newfound confidence that is gained in approaching the most difficult challenge, pushing past perceived personal limits . . . well, that is something that is transferable to a far greater realm of life obstacles they may face.”
The competition takes place in Ottawa.