Firefigher Challenge

This is not the same thing as the Firefighter Combat Challenge. But I developed this challenge for our department as a way to test and improve their skills. You can change evolutions as you like to fit your department.

We have done this twice a year to see how well they improved. I am also working on a team skill.

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Prior to starting, you can arrange your turnouts and airpack at the start/finish line in any manner you choose. You will start in normal “street” clothes, shoes on, and the air bottle will be turned off.

Stage 1: Donning Turnouts and Airpack
Fully and properly don turnouts and airpack. Check your turnouts to ensure they are properly worn. Helmet (shield down), jacket (zippered, closed, collar closed too), trousers, boots, radio if you normally carry one, gloves, tank. You are not required to go “on air”, you do not need to put on the mask, nor is the hood required. Your helmet must remain on throughout the course, and any gear carried on/in your PPE must remain in your control. (Flashlight can’t fall off the helmet, radio can’t fall, etc.) Bonus time for going “on-air”.

Stage 2: Ladder move
Move to Engine 2 and removed the 12’ roof ladder, carry it to the designated area and set it up for use. The ladder must be carried in a safe and proper manner. You may, instead, remove the 24’ extension ladder for bonus times (see Penalties and Bonus for information).

Stage 3: Forcible Entry tool retrieval
Return to Engine 2 and retrieve 2 separate Forcible Entry tools and carry them to the designated area. The tools must be carried in a safe and proper manner.

Stage 4: Victim Rescue
Move to “Rescue Randy” and drag (NOT CARRY) a distance of 50 feet, which is marked by cones. Randy can be dragged in any manner you choose. You and Randy must both cross through the plane of the “finish” cones.

Stage 5: Hose Advance
Move to the 1.75” hose line and advance it past the delimiter markers. Once you are fully past the markers, open a fire stream toward the target until it drops. Ensure that the nozzle is completely turned off prior to moving on.

After completing Stage 5, return to the start/finish line. The time will stop as soon as you fully cross the “Start/Finish” line.


Penalties
15 seconds will be added to your total time for each violation. These violations are:
• Any gear leaving your control during the exercise (15 seconds for each piece lost)
• Carrying ladders in such a manner as could endanger other firefighters or civilians
• Failing to erect the ladder at a safe angle for use
• Not retrieving forcible entry tools
• Not carrying the tools properly or dropping the tools while carrying them
• Not placing the ladder or tools in the proper area
• Victim is carried, not dragged.
• Victim is not moved the proper distance
• Hose line dropped while advancing
• Nozzle opened before you break the plane
• Nozzle not closed before dropping hose-line
• Target is not dropped before moving on
• Turnouts not properly worn after completion (each piece is 15 second penalty)

Bonuses
While donning turnouts, if you chose to go “on-air”, 60 seconds will be subtracted from your total time.
If you chose to wear you hood, 30 seconds will be subtracted from your total time.
If you choose to carry the 24’ extension ladder, 45 seconds will be subtracted from your time, however, if a ladder violation occurs, the 45 second deduction will not be applied.

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