Canterbury Regional Fire Challenge

[Quaddy]

Hi Folks.
Below is some text I wrote for one of the local rags, it's about an annual challenge event that volunteer fire crews can sign up for. We were challenge "virgins" but had a blast.

If your interested in this sort of outdoor stuff, you may enjoy.

Regional Fire Challenge 2009
The Lake Coleridge Fire Team learnt of this event happening in their “back yard” only 3 weeks out from the event, running 15-17 October. It sounded like fun so we put our hands up, even though the late timing meant bringing in a “ring in”, then a week later we got the info pack and found out what we were in for!
With only time for 2 training runs, Neil, Kerry, Kevin & Max, with Bruce in logistics, set off for the Saturday event relatively unprepared, with the idea we would use this more as a training run for the following years event in Geraldine, realizing that other teams had probably been preparing for months.
After check in and briefing, teams were issued with radios, maps & GPS, and had to plan which of the 12 events they would do, spread from Castle Hill Village to Lake Pearson. This meant timing the bus runs with each expected event length, and booking your chosen event ahead via radio, if it was free.
With some trepidation, we chose Cave Stream 1st up, as it was the closest group of events. 4 degree naval deep water at 8am is not to be taken lightly, and those that squealed like little girls shall remain nameless! After 20 wet minutes underground, a quick dry & change led us to abseiling down a short rock face under expert supervision, then a short hike to the orienteering on Castle hill. Not for the unfit, a sprint (ok, steady crawl) up the hill gave points for each location found.
A well timed bus trip to the next group saw us at the SAR exercise, carrying an injured person on a stretcher through an obstacle course in a set time frame. Then onto the fire break clearing, mainly removing wilding pines to mineral earth.
All the while, we had 2 sheets of Fire related questions to work on.
Another well timed bus trip led to the First Aid exercise, an actor with a laceration to his arm & a broken leg. The scene had to be secured, then the patient seen to, support called for, and the patient removed out for evacuation.
Our final event saw us on Lake Pearson in an inflatable raft, working as a team to cross, then “rescuing” a valuable object for safe return.
There were 12 events in total, with 4 more events we did not complete. Most teams were finishing 7 -8 events each. Safety, planning, & experience all combined to help complete the event at hand within the allotted time.
On the day the Lake Coleridge Fire team finished 5th from 13 teams, quite unexpected given the short time frame, and leading us to wondering where we might place next year with a bit of time for training!

[Bongo]

So it's a talent-show-slash-iron-man contest for volunteer fireys?

Was there a prize?

Bongo

[Quaddy]

A bit like that I guess.
Teamwork is vital when a quick response is needed, everyone needs to know what they are doing, or be able to adapt to the situation. This was a very good exercise for testing crews, their leadership, experience & adaptability.
We came away with so much from this experience, I'm looking forward to the next one.

And yes, there were prizes, for all sorts of things.

No Beer tho.

[Bongo]

Did your crowd take any of the prizes?

Beer makes a perfect prize.

Bongo

[Hobbit]

No beer, and yet you're planning on going back next year?

It must have been good!