FIREFIGHTER COMBAT CHALLENGE
In 2008, the Volunteer Fire Fighting Department Radovljica was invited to one of the most difficult competitions of the American fire-fighters in Boston (precisely in Haverhill) in the USA that took place in August that year.
The Volunteer Fire Fighting Department Radovljica was offered to obtain the license for such competition in order to organize it in Slovenia. For now, such competition takes place in USA and some other countries around the world, among others also in Europe, though for now excluding Slovenia. We want to organize it also in Slovenia.
Besides two contestants, Anže HABJAN and Renato FLEGO (both members of the Volunteer Fire Fighting Department Radovljica), also the president of the department, Igor MARIJAN, with his delegation – members of the department - participated at the competition who agreed on license obtaining and organisation of such competition in Slovenia with the head manager and organizer, Dr. Paul O. Davis. After two years of difficult preparations, the competition was first organized on 11 September 2010 in Radovljica. Besides Slovenian contestants, there were also the representatives of USA and France participating at the competition; the latter became the absolute winner of the competition and participated at the world championship in the United States of America.
Description of the competition
A fire-fighter competes with full operational equipment. The equipment weighs 25 kg (protective clothing + breathing apparatus). The fire-fighter breaths air through a mask from a pressure vessel. He/she has to run up the stairs to the 3rd floor (12 m) and carry 20 kg of rolled-up hosepipe. As he/she reaches the top, he/she puts down the hosepipe and pulls 30-kg weight (12 m high) with a rope. As he/she pulls it to the top, he/she runs down the stairs. At the polygon, he/she is pounding with a sledge-hammer on the iron log holding it between his/her legs, which has to be moved for 1m. He/she runs between obstacles, takes hosepipe filled with water and pulls it back for 20 m through a little door and hits the target with the water. He/she drops the hosepipe and grabs a 80-kg victim dragging him/her for 20 m to the goal. The air in the pressure vessel shall not run short. It is one of the most demanding competitions in the world. For more information, please check the website www.firefighterchallenge.com.
The competition aroused much enthusiasm and the participants admitted that those really were »the hardest two minutes in sports«. Due to its successful realization and excellent response, we have acquired the possibility to organize the European championship to take place in Slovenia and the results will be considered for qualifying to the world championship in the USA.
The competition will take place on 16, 17 and 18 September 2011 at the Supernova Rudnik Shopping Centre parking place in Ljubljana. In addition to an excellent competition, there will be a unique show program and great prizes provided to all visitors. On Saturday, you can check out also the exhibition venue where the companies with fire-fighting, military, police and other equipment will be presented.
For more information, please do not hesitate to contact us via e-mail Ta e-poštni naslov je zaščiten proti smetenju. Če ga želite videti, omogočite Javascript.
See you at »the toughest two minutes in sports«™
FFCC Slovenia Team