Academy superintendent recognizes 10th CES firefighters

  • Published
  • By Ray Bowden
  • U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. --  Air Force Academy firefighters were recognized by the installation's top officer for their efforts during a national firefighting competition Nov. 30.

Lt. Gen. Michelle Johnson, the Academy superintendent, visited Fire Station 1 on Pine Drive to congratulate Defense Department firefighters Ken Helgerson, Roy Dalton, Anthony McMurtry, William Gates; and Senior Airmen Daniel Garcia and Edgardo Rodriguez-Hernandez.

The firefighters, assigned to the 10th Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Emergency Services Flight, competed in the annual Firefighter Combat Challenge World Championships Oct. 21 in Montgomery, Alabama.

The event draws more than 700 firefighters from around the world who compete on a standard course that requires competitors to climb a five-story tower, hoist a fire hose, complete a forcible entry simulator, drag a hose and knock down a target, and carry a 175-pound training dummy more than 100 feet as fast as possible, said Helgerson, the Academy's fire chief. The competition includes individual and team events with the Academy firefighters competing in every category, he said.

In the individual category, Gates placed 24th out of 170 firefighters; McMurtry finished the course in 1 minute, 46 seconds; Dalton in 1 minute, 54 seconds; Garcia in 1 minute, 59 seconds; and Rodriguez-Hernandez completed the course in 1 minute, 55 seconds.

"That's a very accomplished goal for Garcia and Rodriguez-Hernandez, our first-time competitors," Dalton said.

Gates, McMurtry, and Helgerson took second place in the over-40 relay event with a time of 1 minute, 11 seconds.

"What's really notable about this is that we ran a five-person competition with three firefighters," Helgerson said. 

In the Open Division, the Academy firefighters took 16th place in the team relays.
 
For Rodriguez-Hernandez, carrying the dummy was the most arduous part of the challenge.

"The dummy drag at the end is the hardest - your legs go out at the end," he said.

The competition is also a training event, as it contains the same practical tasks Academy firefighters must be prepared to face daily, Rodriguez-Hernandez said.
"It's part of our year-round training," he said. "We train all year for that 'one call.' Keeping up with our training is part of that. We always have to be prepared."

More important than being a strong competitive force, Helgerson said Academy firefighters are an important part of the community.

"These firefighters do so much more than people in the community expect," he said. "They're integral to our day-to-day operations at the Academy - they continue to do amazing things like this challenge event and represent the Academy in a positive way. The Academy firefighters are state record holders in every category of the firefighter challenge, quite an accomplishment for a small fire department." 

Johnson commended the firefighters for their support in fighting the 2013 Black Forest fire and the 2012 Waldo Canyon fires.

"You guys are called in because of the confidence the community has in you," she said.  "It's good to know you're here for our community when we're put to the test."