Firefighter's Combat Challenge
| Countries | Worldwide |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1991, by Dr. Paul Davis |
| Website | www.FirefighterChallenge.com |
The Firefighter Combat Challenge is the only federally funded, university-based occupational health physiological research study that has become an internationally touring and televised sports event. It’s a demanding 5-event physical challenge that firefighters throughout the world participate in and try to complete with the fastest time. Competition events include a stair climb with a high-rise pack, hose hoist, forcible entry, hose advance, and a victim rescue. The primary purpose for the Firefighter Combat Challenge is to promote physical fitness, an essential part of structural firefighting.
In 1975, The Sports Medicine Center of the University of Maryland received a federal grant in the amount of $87K from the precursor to the US Fire Administration (The National Fire Prevention and Control Administration-then a part of the Department of Commerce). Instrumental in facilitating the grant was Chief Dave Gratz the Director of Fire-Rescue Services of Montgomery County (MD) and Dr. Leonard Marks (a candidate for the director of what would ultimately become the USFA). The research scientists who were the principal investigators of a study to measure and characterize the physical demands of structural fire fighting were Dr. Charles O. Dotson, Dr. D. Laine Santa Maria, Dr. Paul O. Davis and Dr. Richard A. Schwartz. Their research was published in a GPO Technical Report and later authored by Drs. Davis, Dotson and Santa Maria in a peer-reviewed publication of the American College of Sports Medicine (Davis, Paul O., Charles O. Dotson and D. Laine Santa Maria. "Relationship Between Simulated Firefighting Tasks and Physical Performance Measures." Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Vol. 14, No. 1, pp. 65–71, 1982.) While not intended as a sports competition, a large part of the research was based upon five sequentially performed fire ground evolutions garnered upon input from a Job Task Analysis (JTA) conducted with the assistance of the Greater Washington Council of Governments Fire Training Officers sub-committee. One-hundred randomly selected firefighters from five political jurisdictions participated in both laboratory-based physical performance measures and the Criterion Task Test (CTT). The results of the study graphically, and not surprisingly demonstrated an ascending level of performance with higher levels of muscular strength, lean body mass and PWC (physical work capacity). Originally intended as an entry-level, or personnel selection instrument, not until 1991 would the Firefighter Combat Challenge appear as a major industry sports event, when again, at the University of Maryland’s MFRI (Maryland Fire Rescue Institute) would the first competition be held, organized by Dr. Paul Davis and the staff of On Target Productions.
The first challenge was won by Prince William County, VA in 1991, the only challenge held that year. In 1992, seven regional challenges were held, with the first World Challenge held coincidental with the IAFC convention in Anaheim, CA. DuPont was the Title Sponsor for the first two years. In 1994, Scott Health and Safety came on board and assumed Title Sponsor in 1999.
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