On August 19th of 2001, the first Junior Firefighter Challenge was held in conjunction with the Independent Grocers Association (IGA) Hometown Wheels Family Fun Festival at the Farmington Polo Grounds in Farmington, Connecticut. The Junior Fire Challenge was a competition open to junior and explorer fire and EMS programs from around the state. The Challenge consisted of eight timed events which tested skills in firefighting such as properly following a hose line through a series of obstacles, and properly tying knots so as to hoist tools with rope lines. In all events, teamwork would naturally be essential.

The 2001 Junior Firefighter Challenge Team

Awards were given to the team in each event who completed the evolution in the fastest elapsed time. Time penalties could be given for infractions. The team who turned in the fastest combined time for all eight events would be awarded a Best All-Around award for their accomplishment.

Having a well-established Junior Firefighter program, the Simsbury Volunteer Fire Company entered a team to compete in the Challenge. The team consisted of Junior Firefighters Laura Kelley, Brendan Letson, Mike McDonald and Matt Replogle. Advising the team was Captain Len Mathiason, Lieutenant Milt McDonald and Lieutenant Patrick Tourville. Practices were held on Wednesday evenings and Sunday afternoons to prepare for the many individual events.

	Down goes the cone.

The first event for the team from Simsbury was the Charged Hose Line Drag. This evolution required the three-member team to drag a charged hose line for seventy-five feet to a mark, and then knock over a cone with the fire stream.

The team works to find their way to the victim.

The second event was the Team Search where all three competitors were blindfolded, and then required to navigate along the ground, advancing to several waypoints and ultimately the victim. All three members had to stay in constant physical contact with each other at all times or they would be penalized.

	Using a straight-arm, flat-carry to move the ladder.

All four members from Simsbury were required for the third event, the Ground Ladder Carry. The team had to demonstrate the proper way to lift a 14' ground ladder and a 24' extension ladder which were laying flat on the ground, navigate safely around a course with them, and lower them back to the ground. 

Mike McDonald works to prepare a pike pole for hoisting while Brendan Letson readies an uncharged hose line.

The fourth event had all members working with ladders once again. In Ground Ladder Deployment and Climb, a 28' extension ladder had to be advanced and properly positioned, raised and extended, then laid against the prop and made ready to climb. Two firefighters were then required to individually climb the ladder and retrieve flags.

Mike McDonald and Brendan Letson competed in the Knot Tying event for Simsbury. This evolution required the participants to select and tie the appropriate knots for hoisting a pick-head axe, a charged hose line, an uncharged hose line, a 16' roof ladder and a 6' pike pole.

At the Hazardous Materials Identification station, Laura Kelley and Matt Replogle had to use only binoculars and the Emergency Response Guidebook to identify four placards at distance in a simulated hazardous materials incident. Once the specific materials were identified, the associated hazards needed to be determined.

	Matt Replogle works to connect the crosslay.		The entire team works to repack the crosslay.

The entire team was needed for the Hose Repacking event which consisted of two tasks. The first task was to assemble the four lengths of 1¾" hose and then properly repack the crosslay so it was ready for use. The Juniors then had to repack 200' of 5" supply line in the hose bed. Neatness definitely counted.
 

	Obstacle simulating the average home wall with studs 16 inches on center.		Navigating the tube.

The final event was the Hose Maze Crawl where a team of three Juniors had to successfully follow a charged hose line in the correct direction while blindfolded. The evolution started with the placing of the team at a coupling in the hose line. They had to feel the coupling and determine the proper direction in which to travel, and along the way, navigate several obstacles in the process to reach the end.

	Mike McDonald accepts the trophy for Team Search.		Brendan Letson accepts the award for Hose Repacking.

Simsbury was the team who found the victim the fastest in the Team Search event taking only 1:49 to successfully complete the evolution. They were also the quickest in the Hose Repacking event with a time of 4:34. With a combined time of 21:29 for all events, the Junior Firefighters from Simsbury Volunteer Fire Company became the first Best All-Around Champions of the Junior Firefighter Challenge.

The Simsbury Volunteer Fire Company Family Picnic happened to be held on that same Sunday afternoon. Laura Kelley, Brendan Letson, Mike McDonald and Matt Replogle walked-in a bit late, but to a resounding round of applause. Congratulations on a job well-done, and for winning the very first Junior Firefighter Challenge.
 

Individual Event Squads