A firefighters water Battle has deep-seeded historic roots & it's not just for cool-fun!
While some on-lookers may think that challenging events like the "Ye Olde Bucket Brigade, The tug-of-War, The Midnight Run, The Barrel Rocket or Keg on a Wire, and the Mystery Event is just designed for "Firefighters" (the brotherhood) to have a lot of summer fun.....That's not really the case!
The water battle events actually have deep seeded roots that go all the way back to the days of America's very first City Volunteer fire department organized by Ben Franklin in the infant days of Philadelphia.
Today, competing fire teams may experience a lot of comradely, fun , and bragging rights from the 5th Fire District event, but in the old days it was designed to train firefighters to communicate and work together as a well coordinated team. That really applies to the water battle that the 5th Fire District has every year.
Every one of the Districts' fire Departments, ambulance squads, the canteen unit, dive unit, and Fire Police have been invited in addition to several guest departments who often offer mutual aid to the area. All the events are designed to test firefighting & rescue skills that are often used on the fire ground or at an accident scene.
All the skills and elements taught at the Montgomery-Bucks County Fire Academies, and State Fire School are interwoven in many of the events. What immediately comes to one's mind is communication, teamwork, and leadership. Other skills that are utilized include utilization of hose lays and handling of hoses, nozzles.
Teams utilize teamwork like firefighters of Yesteryear in the Ye olde Bucket Brigade where they methodically use a water source known as a porta-pond and buckets to extinguish a building fire. In this case the building is an old out-house. The team that is first to fill a large barrel with water wins the challenge to extinguish a "make-believe" fire.
The Midnight Ride challenges firefighting teams to suit up in short time,communicate, start their pumpers (engines) , properly lay hoses, connect valves, hoses, and nozzles, get into position and aim streams of water at the simulated fire target which is a traffic cone and ping pong ball. The first team to knock down their targets in the shortest amount of time wins the event.
The "Mystery Event" usually tests firefighters knowledge of rescues, utilizing specialized cutting equipment, and the such arts as escaping entrapment in a fire or collapse situation. The Tug of War tests strength, communication ,teamwork, and leadership.
While some on-lookers may think that challenging events like the "Ye Olde Bucket Brigade, The tug-of-War, The Midnight Run, The Barrel Rocket or Keg on a Wire, and the Mystery Event is just designed for "Firefighters" (the brotherhood) to have a lot of summer fun.....That's not really the case!
The water battle events actually have deep seeded roots that go all the way back to the days of America's very first City Volunteer fire department organized by Ben Franklin in the infant days of Philadelphia.
Today, competing fire teams may experience a lot of comradely, fun , and bragging rights from the 5th Fire District event, but in the old days it was designed to train firefighters to communicate and work together as a well coordinated team. That really applies to the water battle that the 5th Fire District has every year.
Every one of the Districts' fire Departments, ambulance squads, the canteen unit, dive unit, and Fire Police have been invited in addition to several guest departments who often offer mutual aid to the area. All the events are designed to test firefighting & rescue skills that are often used on the fire ground or at an accident scene.
All the skills and elements taught at the Montgomery-Bucks County Fire Academies, and State Fire School are interwoven in many of the events. What immediately comes to one's mind is communication, teamwork, and leadership. Other skills that are utilized include utilization of hose lays and handling of hoses, nozzles.
Teams utilize teamwork like firefighters of Yesteryear in the Ye olde Bucket Brigade where they methodically use a water source known as a porta-pond and buckets to extinguish a building fire. In this case the building is an old out-house. The team that is first to fill a large barrel with water wins the challenge to extinguish a "make-believe" fire.
The Midnight Ride challenges firefighting teams to suit up in short time,communicate, start their pumpers (engines) , properly lay hoses, connect valves, hoses, and nozzles, get into position and aim streams of water at the simulated fire target which is a traffic cone and ping pong ball. The first team to knock down their targets in the shortest amount of time wins the event.
The "Mystery Event" usually tests firefighters knowledge of rescues, utilizing specialized cutting equipment, and the such arts as escaping entrapment in a fire or collapse situation. The Tug of War tests strength, communication ,teamwork, and leadership.