Members of Okotoks Fire & Rescue are once again suiting up for the FireFit Championships, a high-intensity competition testing firefighters’ strength, endurance, and teamwork.
The annual event sees firefighters from across Canada take on a series of physical challenges, all while wearing full turnout gear.
Fire Captain Ryan Chigol, a FireFit veteran with nearly 20 years of experience, rallied several colleagues to join him in last year’s competition and is doing so again this season.
“We started our training towards the end of March, down at Station 2,” said Chigol. “We've been coming in on our days off, putting in a lot of extra hours, getting ready for Medicine Hat.”
Four Okotoks firefighters competed in the Alberta regional event in Medicine Hat on May 31: Chigol, Lisa Barton, Georgina Johnstone and Amanda Mason-Espin. Johnstone and Mason-Espin were first-time individual competitors.
"I'm in the 50 and over category, which I took first place in that with a time of 1:31. Lisa took second overall in the women's division with a time of 2:29. Amanda's time was 3:24 and Georgina's was 3:21, which is really good for the first time," said Chigol.
The three women also competed in the team category, finishing with a combined time of 9:15.
All four qualified for nationals, which are being held this September in Kitchener, Ontario.
Some Okotoks personnel will also compete there, giving additional members a chance to qualify for nationals.
Four others will join them at the event, bringing the total of Okotoks firefighters to eight.