Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge®

If I had a Hammer

2012-01-31T09:03:00.000-08:00

The subject of this BlogSpot is the Hammer (shot mallet) and other variables that influence your performance on the Keiser Force Machine. The Trusty-Cook hammer is the perfect tool for this job. If you attempted to strike the beam with an all-steel hammer, the recoil effect would significantly reduce your effectiveness. The head of the official hammer contains thousands of tiny BB.'s. At the point of impact, there is a one-two punch effect: the mass of the hammer head quickly followed by the shot. When the beam is hit in the “sweet spot” a distinctive ringing sound is heard.

I’m not convinced that alternating hits from edge to edge is effective. But, I can assure you that anything other than a 90° strike is directing force in a plane that is less effective than a square hit.

Heat is generated by the friction of the BBs hitting each other and this heat can increase to the point where the urethane will actually disintegrate. For this reason, we are only selling hammers in pairs. If you wish to purchase a single hammer, they will be available for purchase at our store. To prolong the useful life of the hammer, it’s best that it be used in temperature greater than 60°F, and not more than 100°F. And, it’s a good idea to rotate use between firefighters.

As you no doubt know, we added heaters to the trays of the Keiser Force Machines last year. This year, we’ll be adding a hammer heater. From the survey responses, several people remarked that the heaters were not working. Yes, they were “on” for the duration. But when the temperature dipped, the hammers were no longer pliable. In my conversations with the manufacturer, I was told of roughnecks in Alaska carrying the hammer in the back of their pickup- and the shattering of a perfectly good hammer because they didn’t keep it in their cab prior to use.

We warranty the hammer for defects, not normal use. It is not a lifetime warranty. Take care of the hammer and you’ll get reasonable use.

Heating the trays of the Keiser has had a profound effect on creating consistency. So, the bottom line is that we cannot guarantee a laboratory-controlled pristine environment everywhere we go and every time you mount the machine. We are very much attuned to the quality control required to clean the sleds. We rely on volunteers to perform a fairly low-skilled job: spraying the tray and the runners with a 50/50 mixture of alcohol and water (to aid evaporation) and wiping the runners and tray with a clean cloth. Does this happen every time? Almost; at least 99%.

Other than a few "short" Keisers, and hammer placements, there was only one race that I'm aware of where the competitor lost the hammer. We edited the rules to address this safety violation.

Rules and Procedures for 2012

2012-01-24T13:45:00.000-08:00

As is our practice since the 1991 inception of the Firefighter Combat Challenge, the Rules Committee met during the recess and reviewed the prior year’s practices with an eye towards addressing any need for changes in the rules, protocols and procedures.

To spare you the requirement of reading the document from stem to stern, here’s a quick synopsis of the tweaks that we have made.

1. Keiser Force Machine
Although a rare occurrence, sometimes the Competitor looses his grip on the mallet, creating a dangerous condition. Actually, it’s only dangerous if someone is struck by a flying hammer. Subsequently, it will be a disqualification if the hammer travels past the footprint of the Force Machine. This is similar to the hammer being in contact with the Lion mat. Language has been added to address this situation.

2. GNC Categories
A competitor can only win in one Individual Age Category; i.e., membership on a team or a relay is not affected.

3. Retention of Equipment
As written, the rule is already reasonably clear. However, the definition of equipment is expanded to include anything that you have on your person, be it sunglasses or an iPod. If you drop it, it must be picked up prior to advancing to the next task. Parenthetically, for years we produced the ESPN coverage of the Army’s Best Ranger Challenge, a grueling 60-hour non-stop event. One of the Rangers lost his cover (hat). They kicked him out of the competition- a pretty serious consequence as the rule is you could not lose anything. Period. Wow. [Add to the list of Disqualifications]

4. Penalties
We reviewed the penalties for the four days of the Wild Cards and the finals and compared them to last year’s numbers. There did not appear to be any statistically significant differences, with the possible exception of False Starts (jumping the gun) had gone down. We also reviewed the seriousness of the 5 second penalty and agreed that is it appropriate for two reasons. First, it’s easily remediated; i.e., “just don’t do it.” The requirement to stand still for 2 seconds is not an arduous expectation. Unlike Sprint Track Events, the competitor is not disqualified. Secondly, jumping the gun affords a significant, unfair advantage. Since we don’t have gradations of seconds of penalty, the 5 second rule should be a reasonable deterrent. We’ve repeatedly gone over the justification- and the objectivity of the penalty and believe that attempting to game the start is reasonably penalized. There is a subjective component to the start: identifying those who touch the Hi-rise pack before the siren. Our starter will continue to be responsible for this judgement call.

5. Team Defined
The language has been written and a reviewing body created. We’ve been over virtually every combination and permutation in an attempt to be fair and consistent. Because of the widespread nature and composition of how fire departments are configured, exceptions will be vetted by a 7-member committee. Fire Departments in North America range from tiny all-volunteer departments to the ≈13,000 member FDNY. And, we’ve seen both in the competition. The collective size of a department has little to do with the finish order. The intention is to outlaw attempts to go outside of the rules to create a team of Allstars.

6. Registration Fees
No change in the prices for the Regional Competitions will take place in 2012.

7. Lion’s Den Criteria
Women over 40 may be inducted with a time equal to, or less than 3:30.

Challenge on the Mall

2012-01-17T15:25:00.000-08:00

Our first appearance on the US Capitol Mall took place in April of 1994. In the mind of the US Department of the Interior, this is sacred ground. The number of hoops through which one must jump are significant. Forms have to be filled out and submitted in triplicate. Preference is given to ethnic types of displays and activities, and we sure didn’t meet that criteria. With the assistance of the Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) we were able to cut through a lot of the red tape and arrange for a $5000 bond. We had to hire a couple of US Park Police officers for reasons that we couldn’t quite figure out until later.

This was the first year that Scott Safety joined the tour and their contributions included supplying the bleachers and the scaffolding through their then affiliate Safway Scaffolding company- a part of the Figgie International group.

Every competitor who participated in this event remembers with fondness the hose drag on the grass. No one would ever have believed that pulling hose in tall grass could be so difficult. Many opined that this is one of the most difficult tasks that they’ve ever encountered. I can recall seeing several guys nearly horizontal in their attempts to stretch the line to the gate.

But, the incredible backdrop of the Washington Monument to our event was well worth all the effort. The photo array in this month’s Flickr account is testimony to that grand and glorious day. The Challenge looks pretty sparse- completely understandable since we had no truck for transportation of our equipment until Hackney stepped up and sponsored the Support Vehicle. Prior to that everything was done by North American Van Lines. Coordinating arrival times in the pre-cell phone days was a daunting task.

Look over the photos and send along your thoughts- especially if you were there. We’d love to hear from you. By the way, the purpose for the Park Police was to issue tickets to the firefighters. That’s like hiring your wife’s divorce attorney!

Why We Test

2011-12-31T01:09:00.000-08:00

To my knowledge, the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge is the only sport in the public safety sector that conducts drug testing. We do this not because it is easy or that we even want to do it. We do it because people who cheat undermine the very ethos of what we’re all about.

Drugs in sport has permeated professional and scholastic ranks for decades. With seemingly so much on the line, people are willing to cut corners or cheat to win. In the Tour d’France, it’s virtually impossible to win without the aid of a pharmacopeia of supplements. One wonders if baseball will ever really recover from the abuses of the past.

In our sport, it’s not money, but the prestige of the fire service that’s at stake. Professional athletes have publicly rejected the notion that they serve in any capacity as a role model. Like it or not, Firefighters are held to a higher standard. People allow us, even command us to enter their premises when they’re not there. We are afforded a level of confidence that’s a sacred bond. And in all but the most infrequent of circumstances we meet their expectations.

In our early years, we tried the voluntary compliance route; i.e., “I affirm by my signature...” Regrettably, that did not work. Testing appears to be the only true remedy. As Ronald Reagan said, “Trust but verify.” A drug might be legally prescribed, but might also be a banned substance for the purposes of sport.

And so, we will at considerable expense continue to test at the World Challenge and other random locations. Presently, we’re revisiting the protocols for sample accessions and the consequences for violation. Again, it is your responsibility to know what you’re taking. Labels on some products can be misleading or downright inaccurate. There are respected brands that have submitted samples for assays and have posted bonds to validate the purity of their products.

Hose and Nozzles

2011-12-26T14:13:00.000-08:00

This is the first in a series of BlogSpots that will be written inresponse to the survey that was extended to all of our Challenge Competitors.We greatly appreciate your input and expressions of interest. Please feel freeto add your comments and questions.

All-American Hose

Four or five individuals commented on the hose provided by our newsponsor, All-American Hose who joined us on short notice at the end of the 2011season. The respondents thought that we should have announced that we werechanging to another product.

While we welcomed All-American in Fort Pierce through a number ofpublic address announcements, we did not make mention of their arrival on thewebsite.

We were virtually out of attack hose and are overjoyed to have them onboard. Yes, this hose is different; we just didn’t know how different. Youthink that attack line is pretty much a generic product, but we were wrong. Thedifference between All-American and other brands is that it’s a true 1.75”interior diameter- one of the few products that is as advertised. It’s also alot tougher than any other product out there.

Over the course of a season, it was not unusual to go through 50+sections of hose. At ≈$250/section, well, you do the math (it's ≈ $12,500).That's a pretty big line item for a consumable that never fought a fire. We'resaving a lot of landfill space by using a product that's "green" inan unintended way: lasting far longer than any competitive product.

The hose that we used in Myrtle Beach was first placed in service inFort Pierce. It performed admirably. Admittedly the broom-finished concreteadded significantly to the friction that was required to overcome in order tomove quickly. That's going to happen no matter whose brand of hose we use.

What is different about All-American Hose is the fact that it does notkink. Kinking accelerates the demise of the hose because wear-points quicklyform and compromise the integrity of the hose. One bright spot is that wemay no longer need the protective carpets where the hoses are staged. When wefirst employed them, our hose degradation was cut in half.

We’re keeping tabs on the durability of this product and you shouldlook for a major advertising campaign extolling the virtues of All-American.Right now, we’ve accumulated 99,525 dragging feet without a failure. That‘s for1327 competitors over 9 days of competition. Impressive.

Nozzles

One competitor commented that the blue side target would not falldown. On reviewing the replay, we noted that hitting the oval with the FCCTrademark was never intended to trigger the slide. One must hit the firetarget. In the C.A.B. meeting, one of the members remarked that thenozzle does not deliver a straight stream. That is correct; if you don't pullthe bale all the way back, a ball cock nozzle will distort the spray patternbecause there is not a straight line from the hose to the tip until the ball isfully opened. We place a quarter inch washer in the bore to restrict thevolume, thereby reducing the potential for water on the course.

The fastest competitors can open the nozzle, knock down the target andclose it, all within 2 seconds. That burst of water takes less than 1 gallon,and perhaps even less. We maintain a constant pressure of 125 psi (≈3.5 bar) thatallows reasonable precision, assuming that the operator aims at the righttarget and fully opens the bale.

Beating the Grim Reaper

2011-12-16T15:23:00.000-08:00

I just came across this study and couldn’t wait to share it with you. The article speaks for itself. Of course, in our crowd, I can see guys still running into their late 90’s!

Men Who Step Lively May Outpace Grim Reaper
Tongue-in-Cheek Study Determines the Reaper’s Walking Speed
By Cari NierenbergWebMD Health News
Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MDDec. 15, 2011 --

Older men who walk at least 3 miles an hour need not fear the Reaper. They stay ahead of him and tend to outlive guys who move along at a slower pace, new research reveals.In the study, published in the Christmas issue of the journal British Medical Journal (BMJ), Australian scientists attempted to nail down the Grim Reaper's walking speed. (The usually straitlaced journal loosens up this time of year with offbeat scientific papers like this one.)

While the Grim Reaper is a fictitious symbol of death, other studies have shown that how fast older people walk helps predict how long they may expect to live. Slower walking speeds in older age have been linked to a greater risk of death, while swifter strides have been associated with a longer life.Older men and women who can pick up the pace are likely healthier and fitter than adults who move more slowly.

So the Concord Hospital research team in Sydney set out to predict the pace of the skeletal figure in the long black robe. By knowing this, they reasoned, they'll find out how fast men need to hoof it to stay out of the Reaper's grasp.To do this, they looked at data from more than 1,700 healthy Australian men who were 70 or older. Roughly half of them were born in Australia, about 20% were Italian, and the rest came from other countries.Each man was asked to walk at their usual pace for about 20 feet. They were clocked twice over this distance with their best time recorded.

During the five-year study, 266 men died. When the researchers looked at the walking speeds of these men, they were able to estimate the pace of the cloak-shrouded Reaper.They suspect he's likely to catch up to those fellows who amble along at about 1.8 miles an hour or less.

"We predict that this is the likely speed at which the Grim Reaper prefers to [walk] under working conditions," write the researchers.Their results also found that older men who could walk faster than 2 miles an hour were 1.23 times less likely to meet up with death.But the men who had the biggest leg up on the Reaper were those with the quickest steps. All 22 of the men who walked at a pace of at least 3 miles an hour were still alive five years later."The faster speeds are protective against mortality because fast walkers can maintain a safe distance from the Grim Reaper," say the researchers in a news release.

Kamloops, Eh?

2011-12-11T14:47:00.001-08:00

Not everyone has heard of Kamloops. And I would have attached no special significance to the place had my wife and I not driven through it on the way back from Alaska four years ago.

I even got a sort of strange going over from the Immigration Officer at the Vancouver Airport when he asked me my destination last Tuesday; “Kamloops” I replied. After a considerable pause, he remarked, “...Why?” (This is not to say that I was oblivious to the concept of a team from there, but had not yet met the individuals that comprised that team.)

Actually, they’ve got a great ski resort just a half hour outside of town: Sun Peaks. Shawn Davidson and I spent Wednesday on the slopes and we took video with my iPhone. Shawn was a ski patroller there during his idle youth and hasn’t lost much of his fearless skills. You can check us out on YouTube.com/ffcctv ((http://youtu.be/fXRAR8e6TQ4)). He’s the very fast guy.

Thursday, there was a very special presentation of the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge World Championship Trophy in the Kamloops Convention Center (a place with an arena large enough to hold an event).

All the city government department heads and key personnel were present to observe the presentation of the trophy. I made some very complimentary remarks about the dedication and hard work that it takes to come out on top. We had a great buffet lunch following, and I also did a stand-up interview for their local TV station. The piece aired twice and I believe that we’ll be getting a copy.

Later in the afternoon, I visited the number one station and looked at their training course- the hose tower and front apron. The guys in the hall were very complimentary of the TV and were planning to get an AppleTV for next year’s broadcast.

Later that night the team took me out for a great dinner at Earl’s and I spent time talking mostly to Graham Mackenzie. He had completed the survey and provided me with some comments on subjects that I was not aware of. That’s one of the great things about feedback. We can’t think of everything and the competitors have a perspective that is different from our own.

So Kudos to Graham Mackenzie, Don Clarke, Mike Brown, Scott Leslie, Shawn Davidson and Mark Brise for a job well done. This has been a journey of significant perseverance.

So, over the next week or so, I’m going to provide my responses to your feedback. This is the relentless pursuit of perfection, or at least perfection that we can afford!

We’ll Be Right Back After This Message

2011-11-29T12:44:00.000-08:00

For the first time in our 20 year history, we broadcasted the entire World Challenge XX competition via Livestream. Well, that’s not quite accurate. For the past two years we ran a stationary camera and a chat line.

Thanks to the contributions of Lion, this year we invested a lot of resources to bring you a live show that was worthy of Primetime. With two fixed cameras, two tethered shooters and a jib, all directed by 8-time Emmy winner Rick Lewis, the show had the look and feel of an ESPN production. Matter of fact this is very similar to the show that we produced for one of our ESPN telecasts using a production truck.

The numbers of viewers were impressive. We had a total of 757,337 total viewer minutes- that’s thirty times last year’s total. There were 42,371 US streams; 11,461 in Canada, Germany: 5,601; Slovenia 2,812; France 624 and New Zealand 507.

Right now, you can go to http://www.livestream.com/firefightercombatchallenge to view archival footage. All of the broadcast has been backed up on a 2TB hard drive and we’ll begin the process of editing the segments into clips for uploading on YouTube as well as some special features such as “Bloopers of the Challenge” and a highlight reel.

This is tedious work and will take some time, but hey- we’ve got five plus months before the season starts anew.

The really good news is the numbers of subscribers. We had viewers from around the world. The compliments that we’ve received warm the cockles of my heart and inspire us to add even more content and features next year. The Air Force Academy, Elgin and Warren produced vignettes on their teams and we encourage more of these kinds of features for next year’s show.

Maria Prekeges who is a familiar face on a number of ESPN shows conducted nearly 50 interviews. We’re going to make some changes to the placement of our loud speakers so that you’ll be able to hear her better. We’d like to hear from you- about anything you liked, didn’t like or wanted to see. This is the time that we start planning for next season.

I can guarantee you that there will be commercials; that’s how free TV works. This grand experiment had some significant costs; but now that we’ve proved the worth, as they say, “well be right back after this message.”

Count Down to WCXX

2011-11-08T16:46:00.000-08:00

The purpose of this BlogSpot is to get out in front of the questions that typically arise before, during and after the World Challenge. If this is your first World Challenge event, congratulations! If you’re returning, welcome back. After last year’s highly successful competition, we’re following our format for last year. The Wildcard Eliminations start without fanfare at 9AM (0900 EST), Monday through Thursday, November 14-17.

The Venue: Broadway at the Beach
All of the activity will take place on the parking lot at Broadway at the Beach. The landmark is the Hard Rock Cafe. We have rotated the orientation of the tower by 180°. This will provide even sunlight and reduce shadows. The Keiser Force Machines now have heated trays, thereby eliminating any differences in the coefficient of friction caused by temperature. This system has been in use for the season and has expunged complaints about red versus blue side differences. There is ample room for “camping out” with your pop-up and lawn chairs. This is one of the huge benefit over Las Vegas- a topic that I will address in an upcoming Blog.

Rule Change: Finish Standing
There is a rule change since last year on hand-held timing. Competitors are required to finish standing up. They must stop the clock by dragging the feet of the Rescue Randy® across the threshold. Lunging backwards is a dangerous and highly discouraged practice. It also damages the SCBA units and tears the carpets. And most importantly, it does not get you a faster time since it is the position of the dummy’s feet and not the torso of the Competitor that counts. Subsequently, we implemented a penalty of 2 seconds to be added to the Competitor’s time when a Competitor fails to stop the clock. Everyone that has ever been involved in a sprint sport knows that lunging or jumping interrupts terminal velocity.

Benefits of a Controlled Race
This has had an immediate benefit in reducing the number of finish line crashes and the associated ambiguities as to who actually won the race (i.e., we no longer have to have a conference of officials to look at hand-held stop watches to decide an outcome). Since its inception, the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge® has had in place the same timing paradigm and technology for measuring races. In an attempt to promote a safer playing field and consistency across all the nationalities that are licensed to conduct competitions, we will appreciate your cooperation and adherence to the protocol of running under control. Clayton County, who broke the World Record with a blistering 1:07, finished standing and even put the dummy on the transporter cart. If that doesn’t validate what I’m saying, then I don’t know what else will convince you. Well, actually the 2-second penalty might do it.

Wildcard Eliminations
The Eliminations have become highly competitive. While we like to boast that this is “The Toughest Two-Minutes in Sports™” the fact is that you’ll need a time significantly faster than two minutes to make it in the open category on the final day. An oft-heard complaint is directed at teams that make it with people who are significantly slower than two minutes. Our clear preference is directed to qualifying teams on the basis of their fastest three times. Everyone on that team is treated equally; they all get a pass. Historically, individuals who were predicted to have their time counted in the top three have had a bad run, resulting in a fourth member of the team contributing his time. Just as all members of the World Series team earn a ring, so likewise do the members of the winning team. Please don’t gripe about this structure. Get a team together and you can likewise collectively earn a spot on the final day. Simply stated, we just don’t have enough slots for everyone that’s sub-whatever to race on the final day. We have opened up sufficient individual slots to ensure that there is a fair representation within all the categories to guarantee that even a person not on a team has a chance to take first place.

International Growth
It is our quest to create a truly international competition. I cannot say with certainty how long it will take to achieve critical mass of say, 25 nations fielding teams, but ultimately, the World Challenge will be comprised of only one team from each country. The event may also move to another continent. And what is now the World Challenge will become the US Nationals. Until that day, we afford our foreign visitors byes into the final round because they have earned these slots through competition in their native land. This is difficult for some Competitors to accept as they feel that the final day should be based solely on merit, and not based upon the country of origin. We subscribe to the Olympic model, even at this early stage of our competition. If we want more foreign teams- and we do, then this is a reasonable concession. To this end, we opened up the number of US slots so as not to deprive the truly outstanding athletes an opportunity to compete. The practical reality is that we can’t run an 8-hour competition. Next year, we will be holding events in Germany, Canada, France, Austria, Brazil, New Zealand and Slovenia. All of these competitions welcome you. We hope that you’ll appreciate the hospitality and camaraderie that is extended by this rapidly expanding international brotherhood.

The March On
There will be a formal march on of all the states, provinces and countries on the last day (Saturday). We will play the national anthem of the host nation only. This not meant as a slight to any person or peoples; but from a practical and protocol perspective, we will follow Olympic traditions.

Livestream-Webcast
This year will be providing a professionally produced Livestream broadcast. Last year we had over 25,000 viewers with no promotion other than word of mouth. You’ll be able to watch live- on your computer every day’s activities including post race interviews and analyses. Lion is the presenting sponsor and we extend our thanks to them and our other sponsors for making this possible. This will be of great benefit as you’ll have a sense as to where we are in the start order by viewing the home page. A word of warning, however. You are still responsible for showing up on time. Not unlike the Olympics, we have had to disqualify people for being no-shows.

In Summary...
I trust that this information is of benefit. I also hope that the people who need to read this will avail themselves of the opportunity to realize that there is a bigger purpose behind the growth of the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge than to satisfy everyone’s ego.

Let’s Hear It for the Old Guys

2011-11-03T02:24:00.001-07:00

This past weekend in Fort Piece was a homecoming for a lot of Challenge veterans. In one of the over 50 relay races, these competitors boasted over 500 years of collective life experience. I had some quality time talking to Walter White who’s been with the Challenge since its inception. He’s seen his original department, American River morph into Sac Metro. Walter is now a Battalion Chief and is running solo. At one time, American River was a national threat. It seems as though the younger generation doesn’t have the same mental toughness as the old guys. We’ll talk more about this and expand on Walter’s particular insights on the Challenge and the fire service in an upcoming blog. (BTW, Challenge veterans, have you ordered your patch yet- it’s on this link: http://firefighterchallenge.com/VeteranProgram/home.php)

But, in the meantime, what was very interesting were the comments of the course volunteers. Indian River State College provided some of the best support we’ve seen so far this season. Comprised of instructors, staff and students the red shirts made the event run like clockwork. It was as though they had been training for this event for some time. A recurring topic of discussion was the respect and admiration for our over 50 crowd. This indelible image of real, tough guys who were posting impressive times was not lost on the spectators.

Our announcer, Mike Word would point out many of the accomplishments of these grizzled veterans, never failing to mention their ages. For recruits, what better example could be made of firefighters in the twilight of their careers still able to run the course in blistering times. This does not happen by accident.

For the better part of 9 years, I wrote a column for Fire Chief magazine. In one such article, I facetiously remarked that we should eliminate PT (physical training) from the recruit curriculum. Actually, I was half serious. After all, why should it be management’s responsibility to rehabilitate you to get the job that you should have been prepared to do the day you walked in the door.

If you had not been maintaining your fitness on your own time, what makes us think that you’re suddenly going to have a change of heart and start working out once you’re actually hired to do one of the toughest jobs in America today? A recent anecdote makes my point. Larry Hinds had suggested that climbing an aerial should be a routine drill for everyone. After all, this is an essential function of being a firefighter. The chief pushed back, knowing full well that a significant number of incumbents were physically incapable of performing the task. He’s still looking at it.

Hard to believe that we can take seriously the mantra, “everyone goes home” when in fact, a lot of these people should stay home. And it’s even worse that we know we have the problem and won’t do anything constructive to address the huge, looming problem of a workforce that is unsafe at any speed.

The Overcash Award

2011-10-17T18:20:00.001-07:00

If you haven’t met Ted Overcash by now, you’ve missed out on one of the great benefits of the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge. Ted is now 66. He’s been a fixture for years, although he’s slowed down a bit, he’s still alive and kicking.

Ted hasn’t set any records recently, although he and I held the over 60 Tandem record for about a year. But Ted would come out and run the course, time after time and year after year. His times would slowly work their way down as he trained and trained.

Ted is not a very big guy. He stands about 5’5”, weighting around 160. But Ted has the biggest heart of anyone I’ve seen. From the beginning in 199#, he struggled mightily, to the point that he scared me. But he would never give up.

Some years back, Ted was diagnosed with cancer. In his characteristic style, he battled back and became a cancer survivor.
He found out that he had a tumor in 2002, weeks after receiving the first GNC award in Deerfield Beach.
In May 2003 he ran his first Challenge 11 weeks after surgery.

In the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge, we have a number of World Champion awards that are sponsored by Lion and named after our fallen comrades. We decided that while this was a proper way to honor their memory, why not name an award after one of our competitorsbefore they died? How much more fitting?

And so, the Overcash Award for the person who accrues the most points was created. Ted has been present to make the award for a number of years. Recently in Tinley Park, he asked me if we were still going to give out the award and would it be named after him?

“Of course,” I responded. “We wouldn’t have it any other way.“

Ted seemed pleased. So, if you’re in Myrtle Beach and see Ted, stop for a moment and let him tell you a little bit about his life’s journey. It’s always a great perspective to get the inside scoop on what it’s like to be a cancer survivor; just ask Ted.

Steve Jobs and the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge?

2011-10-07T13:55:00.000-07:00

In 1984, I was running a company called Institute of Human Performance. We provided occupational health services to a variety of local and federal government emergency service organizations. The backbone of our business was a mainframe computer manufactured by Data General (DG). It was the size of two side-by-side refrigerators and required its own climate-controlled room. My 250MB Fujitsu Eagle drive for my DG cost over $10,000 and was so heavy that a small forklift was required to move it. One the features we provided our police and firefighters were computer generated customized health and fitness reports and individualized exercise prescriptions.

A friend of mine with a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Maryland introduced me to the Macintosh computer. I had dismissed his entreaties to test-drive his for months. Finally succumbing, I told my wife that I’d be heading over to Phil’s house and would be back in an hour.

I was of the opinion that this could not be a real computer because there were not shelves of manuals required to document everything. Five hours later, I was still exploring and amazed at a computer that had no manuals and a mouse. That Sunday changed my life and the pathway of my company. I went to Sears the next day and purchased a Mac. They were over $2,500, with a whopping 1MB of Ram and no hard drive. From that point, we never looked back. We dumped the Data General and assembled a number of connected Macs.

One of the immediate uses was a contract with the US Navy. I wrote their fitness manual and produced 18 Command Fitness Coordinator certification programs, hauling my 22-pound Mac cube with me around the world. All of this was done with floppy disks!

The ability to create graphics, typeset technical reports, edit video was all within our grasp, and best of all, in-house. It has had a profound impact on every nuance of what we have done over the past 27 years. Steve Jobs’ death at 56 is a tragedy. His contributions to society are staggering. The productivity that we as a company have gained is enormous.

Steve went out on top; he created the world’s most valuable company and has been vindicated and richly rewarded. But the sad, sad part of this whole story is that there is no amount of money that he would not have spent to have his health back.

Isn’t amazing how people can easily disregard or fail to appreciate the very precious gift of life. Like the words of the song, “…you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.” Life can be cruel. I have no idea as to what Steve’s health and fitness habits were. And maybe, he was one of those statistical flukes, where he did everything right and still got run over by the cancer bus.

But, there are a lot of things that we do know about that contribute to health and the avoidance of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Taking responsibility for our behavior is what makes us good animals. Right now, a disproportionate number of our population are on a collision course with diabetes. There will not be enough money to take care of the huge epidemic that is approaching. And this condition is avoidable and remediable by simply moving more.

I sometimes wonder if some people are just plain predestined to end up as casualties? Warnings screaming from cigarette packages in 24pt type: Smoking Kills! “This is a free country!” they respond. Were it only so; someone’s going to pay. I just don’t want it to be me.

Still Need Proof?

2011-10-04T05:26:00.001-07:00

One of the sixteen initiatives for reducing line of duty deaths (LODD) in the “Everyone Goes Home” campaign is physical fitness. What troubles me about this program is the mouthing of a platitude without any real follow up. It’s like dental hygiene: don’t have to floss every day; just those teeth that you’d like to keep. By that I mean we continue to preach about the need, but really don’t follow up with standards.

In a study conducted by Harvard University School of Public Health and published today in the journal of the American College of Sports Medicine, men who engaged in vigorous exercise had their risk of fatal heart attack cut by 22%.

“We studied vigorous exercise because of its stronger association with coronary heart disease,” said Andrea Chomistek, Sc.D., the lead author of the study. “While we discovered that vigorous-intensity exercise decreases a man’s risk of heart attack, we also were able to partially determine why. The benefits of exercise on a man’s levels of HDL-C, or ‘good’ cholesterol, account for approximately 38 percent of that decrease. Other important markers included vitamin D, apolipoprotein B and hemoglobin A1c.”

There were 18,225 men who participated in the study, of which 454 suffered a nonfatal heart attack or died from CHD (coronary heart disease) during the 1994-2004 data collection window. After the 10-year period, 412 men with CHD were matched to controls based upon age, smoking status and their date for providing a blood sample.

“As expected, traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors were more common among cases than controls,” said Chomistek. “Men who suffered a nonfatal heart attack or died from coronary heart disease had less ‘good’ cholesterol, more ‘bad’ cholesterol and were more likely to have high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.”

The study, “Vigorous Physical Activity, Mediating Biomarkers, and Risk of Myocardial Infarction,” is published in this month’s issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise®, the official journal of ACSM.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ranks heart disease as the nation’s leading cause of death among men. Between 70 and 89 percent of all sudden cardiac events occur in men, and nearly half of men who have a heart attack before age 65 die within eight years. And of course, heart disease continues to lead the list of LODDs for firefighters.

None of this really comes as a surprise. But regrettably, until we actually start to recruit and select the most fit- people who have a real penchant towards fitness being a priority, we’ll continue to see the results of sedentary living.

“Our Fathers Fought the Second World War”

2011-09-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

This familiar refrain written by Billy Joel (from the hit song Allentown) came to mind today as I and hundreds of other grateful people at BWI airport stood and applauded for the nearly 25 minutes that it took to unload the arriving Southwest Airlines flight that conveyed scores of Second World War veterans from Detroit. We were occupying ourselves with the usual activities of checking emails, surfing the net when the gate agent announced that an honor flight of WWII vets were on the in-bound flight. Would we all welcome them? Would we?

But of course! Flags were handed out and a squad of sailors in dress whites formed up a alley. Everyone, and I mean everyone, stood and started clapping and kept clapping as though each of these grizzled and some stooped figures were a member of our own families. Hundreds of travelers came together and proudly gave every aged veteran their undivided attention. Travelers were wiping tears from their eyes at the incredible sight.

Statistics about WWII vet mortality are bantered about, like 30,000 WWII vets are dying every month. Just a few months ago, Frank Buckles, the last surviving WWI veteran passed away at the age of 110. Based on that model, statistically, there will still be a few more WWII vets left for some years to come (a GI of 17 in the last year of the war, 1945- living to be 110 would die in 2038).

All paid for by private donations, the honor flight contingent would be loaded onto buses and taken to Washington, DC to view the WWII Memorial, the Korean War Memorial and the Vietnam Memorial. Then, they would be flown home to stay in their own beds. Many of these heroes were in wheelchairs. I noticed that the captain of the SWA flight ferried several of the vets off the flight. We all forgot about the fact that the plane was about 90 minutes late due to mechanical problems. That minor distraction quickly paled in comparison to the awesome experience of watching these venerable warriors embracing the experience. The smiles on their faces, the waves and salutes were rewarded with more intense clapping, cheering, whistling and flag waving.

This episode seemed in so many ways, foreign to cacophony of partisan politics and all the divisive vitriol that spews daily from TV, print media and zinger emails. For a short half hour of the day, we shared common values and a sense of pride for what these veterans had done for us.

It made me very proud to be an American and the son of a now deceased WWII submariner. I just wished that Dad could have been there.

Ah, Rest!

2011-08-30T06:32:00.000-07:00

After slogging on for an unprecedented 12-week, no break stint, Time Off! Some of you Challenge addicts might be in withdrawal, but the hard-working members of the Crüe welcome the time of respite.

One of the most overlooked components of physical training is rest. It’s an integral part of the General Adaption Syndrome (GAS). I continue to believe that a large number of our die-hards still adhere to the adage: No Pain, No Gain. No one ever got fit without sweat. There is no magic pill or plug-in the wall thing that’s going to take the place of the Work Out. But muscles require rest to recover.

Pain is nature’s way of telling you to back off. DOMS (delayed onset of muscle soreness) comes from microscopic tears in the cellular fabric of muscle cells. Leakage follows with edema, putting pressure on nerve cell endings. Extreme workouts can give rise to rhabdomyolsis, a potentially lethal condition where protein leaks out of the cells and interferes with the ability of the kidneys to process urea. We’ll talk more about rhabdo in an upcoming Blog.

But, back to the rest thing. Periodization is the process of allowing certain muscle groups to recover between workouts. For a muscle to gain strength, it must be stressed beyond the usual daily loading. Power, not to be confused with strength quickly becomes refractory to improvements after fatigue. Depending upon the severity of the workout, one day might not be enough. With advancing age, your recovery curve becomes a lot longer. Ah, the benefits of youth.

Regrettably, without the ability to look at blood serum enzymes, it’s difficult to know where you are. Staleness has some subjective cues, like “how do you feel?” Listening to your body takes some time. If you’re rolling out of the rack in the AM and feel sore and stiff, you’re not ready to pound your body into some kind of submission.

The major risk of overtraining is a susceptibility to connective tissue injury. Muscles can also tear, but because they’re heavily vascularized, they heal quickly, especially if you help out with rest and ice. Anti-inflammatories like Motrin are effective. Tendons and ligaments take a lot longer to repair because they have very little blood flow.

I think it would be interesting to look at our injury rates for this sport and compare them to say, softball. I think that we’re well ahead of that cohort. But it does trouble me when I hear of injuries to our competitors, regardless of where the injury took place. Sometimes its doing an innocuous activity that you would never guess had any risk- like walking up stairs.

The Sportsmedicine model of active rest and light range of motion activity has been proven to greatly accelerate the recovery period. No one who’s doing anything active is going to escape musculoskeletal injuries. We just want to be smart about it and remember that rest is the missing variable in a lot of workout routines.

From Whence Came the Challenge?

2011-08-30T06:07:00.000-07:00

For the uninitiate (a person unfamiliar with a specific topic or subject) upon first seeing the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge, the likely question: “What is this and where did it come from?“ Good questions, both.

Back in the dark ages of personnel selection, fire chiefs believed that big(ger) people tended to excel at the avocation. Ergo, there were minimum height and weight standards. No one considered that women would ever want a career in this most male of occupations. Disparate impact was an unfamiliar term in those days. So, in 1975, Chief David Gratz who was the director of fire-rescue service for Montgomery County (MD) and Dr. Leonard Marks paid us a visit at the Sports Medicine Center of the University of Maryland’s School of Public Health, Department of Kinesiology. They wanted to know if there was a way to measure what it took to, for example, climb a ladder and chop a hole in a roof. “Sure,” we remarked.

FEMA was still a distant gleam in someone’s eye, but the formation of what would become the National Fire Administration was gaining some traction. This new agency under the Department of Commerce would have money to fund research. A research proposal was cobbled together and submitted with the backing of our US Senator, J. Glen Beall. For the modest sum of $87,216 we embarked on a project that would become the first study to link empirically physical performance constructs with simulated job tasks for structural firefighters.

One-hundred greater Washington area firefighters were randomly selected by age and political jurisdiction strata and underwent laboratory-based tests for aerobic and anaerobic kinetics as well as other demographic data. The results were correlated against performance on a series of linked fire ground evolutions. Technically, we used mutliple-regresson and canonical correlation to create a model of success. In other words, a profile of fitness that could predict performance on frequently performed, non-skill dependent, arduous fire suppression tasks.

The Criterion Tasks were nominated by the Training Officers subcommittee of the COG Fire Chiefs Committee. These tasks were corroborated through surveys and have been replicated in numerous jurisdictions across the US. The objective was to focus on a core of Essential Functions that were ubiquitous to the fire service, much like hanging a door would be for carpentry. Local jurisdictions might feel strongly that they would want to add logical accessories such as the ability to swim where water was a part of the first due equation.

Morphing into what would ultimately become the Essential Functions Test (EFT), hundreds of fire departments across the nation in the early 90’s were signing on for the use of the “Combat Test” as a selection, or in some cases, retention test. In 1991 we held our first Washington, DC Council of Governments (COG) sponsored competition at the Maryland Fire-Rescue Institute. Never intended as a race, but rather as a personnel selection instrument, the EFT received kudos as being age and sex neutral (in other words, age and sex were not factors in scoring). But, you know how firefighters can be and speed to completion ignited a game.

The general premise in personnel selection is that your natural abilities can take you wherever you wish to go. The Constitution of the United States affords you with equal opportunity. The results are on you. This called the Merit System- the novel idea of hiring people based upon objective data.

With the rapidly ascending popularity of the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge, the major focus of our efforts became the fine tuning of an International Sports competition. For several years, the great unanswered question was, “Can someone actually do this under 2:00?” Mind you, most firefighters would walk through the course in around five minutes. The very practical application of the EFT has been overshadowed by the 10-year run on ESPN, and the 20-years of a 24-stop annual US tour. There are still departments that require their personnel to walk through the course each year. The measurable benefits are increased safety by reducing line-of-duty musculo-skeletal injuries by fielding a fit workforce. Sounds like a plan to me. No one in our shop ever thought that these insane times would become the de rigueur.

Hopefully, this little tutorial might clear up some misconceptions that continue to linger on the still current and compelling need for physically fit firefighters.

Bottoms Up

2011-08-17T16:51:00.000-07:00

The number of heat records set this summer have shattered many that have stood for decades. It’s estimated that over 200M people were affected this year. All the while, the mighty Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge has bravely soldiered on. On a positive note, we’ve had one transport- an individual who admitted self medicating with Creatine.

I hear a lot of comments from spectators that it must be brutal wearing all that gear. And it is- if you had to wear it for periods longer than a few minutes. Fortunately, the time on the course does not add appreciably to the thermal load. The body has an amazing thermoregulatory system. Within a few minutes of maximum muscular contractions, core temperature can climb 1°C. We all know about the heat-injury-illness paradigm. Core temperatures of 104°F are consistent with heat stroke- except when it isn’t. Like in well conditioned athletes who can tolerate running a marathon with this range of core temperature without any consequences.

There is, however, a critical part of the equation: hydration. Your water on board has more to do with maintaining homeostasis than anything else. Even a well-conditioned athlete can’t make it without replacement. Another adaptation is retaining electrolytes. Well fit athletes lose less electrolytes than do unconditioned people.

Sports drinks such as Gatorade provide essential electrolytes as well as fuel. But these are poorly tolerated in the presence of arduous physical activity. I continually remind people that the thirst mechanism is about 20 minutes behind the power curve. In other words, but the time you’re thirsty, it’s too late. Sports drinks should be taken at least an hour before, and not again until the event is well over.

It’s rewarding to watch all the Challenge athletes walking around with their gallons of water. Proper hydration needs planning and you need to start the day before the event. Urine color is the best indices of your status. There is a risk of overdoing it and creating a condition of hyponatremia- where you’re losing electrolytes because you’re overwhelming your kidneys. While a rare phenomena, it can have grave consequences.

Staying out of the sun, ingesting about one pint per hour (to make up for insensitive fluid loss) is the preferred pre-race preparation. Training in the heat is the fastest way to become acclimatized to heat. But, the old adage: “everything in moderation” works every time. Oh yeah; and on the point of beer, it is not a good hydration source. You do not buy beer, you rent it. Alcohol will dehydrate you- before AND after the Challenge.

What Motivates You?

2011-07-27T18:04:00.001-07:00

I’ve been doing the Tuesday Night lecture thing at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, MD since the beginning of this year. If you’re not familiar with the EFO (Executive Fire Officer) program, check it out at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/nfa/efop/

In this week’s lecture, I discussed fitness (of course) and the practical reality of maintaining a fit workforce when we really only have control over employees 10 days per month. Of course, the people reading this post are the very ones that “get it.” They understand that personal fitness is a personal responsibility and that duty extends beyond just the days that they’re clocked in.

As a card-carrying member and Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, I’m rightfully proud of the body of literature that has been amassed over the last five-plus decades. Thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of peer-reviewed research studies on how to get fit, stay fit; benefits of being fit. But, from a practical perspective, we probably don’t apply 10% of what we know. What we’re missing is that link, the trigger that creates the desire to be all that you can be. To know that you have the physical capabilities to get the job done. The self-confidence that comes from knowing yourself.

Ayn Rand wrote: “A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others." I would submit that this adage was never more in evidence than at the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge. People who are unfamiliar with our sport marvel at the camaraderie. Now, if we could just somehow figure out how to bottle this stuff and vaccinate the rest of the fire service- now that would be something.

Up In the Air

2011-07-06T16:14:00.001-07:00

After World Challenge XIX, we administered a survey to all attendees and an unprecedented 400+ responses were received. I read every single comment and am now responding to a minority, but important concern about costs to attend.

Since the critiques were not specific, I can only adjudge that complaints about expenses were driven by airfares, since lodging prices were ridiculously cheap. Mike Medeiros and I did a little study, looking at R/T airfares from several major cities. Myrtle Beach was a very reasonable destination with round trip fares less than $300 from a number of cities.

The caveat is, “when?”

Answer, “Now.” By that I mean that if you have qualified, or are pretty sure that you are going to qualify, this is a good time to start shopping for airplane tickets.

As a member of a number of airline award programs with over 4 million miles on one airline alone, I know a little bit about how these tariffs work. The idea is to fill every seat on the plane before departure. Once the plane leaves the gate, that seat is now worthless. Airlines have very sophisticated software programs that track sales for every flight. A 737 might carry 140 people, with very few of the passengers paying the same price for any given seat.

What we know is that typically, the lowest price point is a couple of months ahead of departure. The closer you get to departure, the more expensive the ticket. For example, we saw a price bump on a flight jump 400% over night. Apparently there was a push after we checked the fare and the next thing we knew, the demand had pushed the price through the roof. There are exceptions. For example, if a flight is not filling up and departure is within a day or so, they may drop the price. If you purchased a ticket for more than the cheaper price, you are entitled to a refund of the difference (on most airlines like Southwest).

Where all the carriers get you is for changes (except Southwest). So, be reasonably sure of your dates. I realize that this presents a bit of a risk. Cancellations on non-refundable tickets are exactly that: nothing. But you are allowed in most cases to rebook, at a “modest” fee of more than $100. (Except Southwest.) And, of course, they nick you for checked luggage. (Except Southwest.) This is why we are partial to a particular airline (Southwest).

Speaking of this airline, they fly to Charleston. And, you can rent cars and drive to M.B. Just one suggestion on how to make your bucks go further. We want everyone to optimize their cash by getting as far out ahead of World Challenge XX as possible- at the lowest possible price.

I hope this has been helpful. I’d like to hear of any deals, thoughts or suggestions you might have that can be shared with everyone. See you in Myrtle Beach this November.

Colorado Mountain High

2011-06-29T09:15:00.000-07:00

Only someone who just arrived on the planet Earth would not know that increasing elevation impedes performance. It’s not that the percentage of oxygen is lower at higher elevation; it’s that the partial pressure (PP) of air is reduced the higher you go. Barometric pressure is what drives oxygen across the membrane of the alveoli and onto the hemoglobin of the red blood cells. The higher you go, the more “disbursed” or spread out are the molecules.

So, what are the implications for competing at altitude for the Challenge? And, doesn’t the SCBA help? Since many of the competitors run the course in less than 2 minutes, the energy requirements come from a breakdown of ATP to ADP, and from
ADP to AMP. These are energy bonds that do not require the presence of oxygen to create energy. But, the payback, or recovery system is aerobic. The positive pressure SCBA helps slightly, but everything is relative. Since the second stage regulator operates on a slight “delta” or difference above ambient, you’re not getting much of a boost.

Theoretically, if you could maintain the PP of sea level inside the face piece, altitude would not be a factor. On a similar note, I’ve written a short proposal on climbing Mt. Everest in a Scott SCBA. If you could keep your sea level atmosphere with you, you could scamper up the peak in short order since the distance and terrain from the last pitch is pretty much a walk in the park. What makes things so difficult is that every step. even on bottled oxygen represents a near-maximal contraction. So, even breathing 100% oxygen, you have only about one-third of the pressure driving the molecules across the alveoli’s membranes. Of course, switching out bottles presents the logistical challenge. You’ll need a lot of Sherpas.

Our recent experience in Vail (8000’ or 2438M) precipitated an acute metabolic acidosis response in everyone. While we claim the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge to be the “Toughest Two Minutes in Sports™” at sea level, it can be a real butt-kicker at elevations above ≈3500’.

We noted that about 30 competitors who played last year did not make the return trip this month. We think we get it. If you already have your ass kicked at sea level, imagine what altitude will do. Vail is a world-famous destination. Many of us have tagged a white water rafting trip to the event, or found other exciting forms of recreation. To keep this venue alive for the out years, we need to hear from you. We have a simple survey form that will help us better plan for the future.

Please follow this link to take this one-minute survey.
http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB22CLG2NDAKX/

Maybe this venue should be exclusively the “Colorado Rocky Relay Championships”? Take just a few minutes and tell us what you think.

What's Drugs Got To Do With It?

2011-06-15T08:14:00.000-07:00

The CBS 60 Minutes story on alleged doping by Lance Armstrong has spawned countless newspaper articles, several of which I have read. I’m not an expert on the topic, but I do have an opinion.

While at the University back in the ‘70’s, I had two graduate students who were on the US Olympic and Junior weight lifting team. At the time, the official position of such organizations as the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) went something like this: “these attempts at enhancing performance through the use of drugs do not work.” All the while, the East Germans were kicking our collective asses.

I was administering IM (intra-muscular) legally prescribed anabolic steroids to these lifters and observing the addition of 30+ pounds of lean muscle mass in the matter of a few short months. So much for the official position of the scientific-medical community.

Fast forward forty years and we now are awash in an epidemic of ergogenic aids. Sports figures have gone to jail and more will follow. This was the era where rampant steroid use was in vogue in the NFL; while we were not testing at the time, (I was a consultant to the Washington Redskins for 8 years); many players had all the clinical manifestations of anabolics.

About a dozen years ago, one of my sports medicine physician friends remarked that we needed to start drug testing. This was validated by some of our competitors who were complaining about benefits that were not attributable to just working out. Naively believing that signing a waiver that included language to the effect that “I am not using any banned or illegal substances,” would do the job- and finding it not so, we started testing- to the strenuous objections of some competitors who were never seen again. A couple of my physician friends said that as an organized sport “You know you’ve made it when it becomes so important to win that you’re willing to cheat.“

At, or about that time, one of our standout competitors stated that he didn’t care if people used drugs; “let them do whatever they want,” he opined. I’m not sure he would have felt that strongly if he was routinely getting beat by someone that was obviously “on the sauce.”

With the advent of drug testing, we began to catch people. In fact, for a while, we were running an unbroken string of positive tests were in people who may have actually believed what they were taking was “clean.”

Most recently, we have not uncovered any users. The sophistication of drug testing spawns all sorts of counter measures, and so goes the vicious cycle.

I believe that some of the positive tests were in people who may have actually believed what was written on the labels of the products they were taking. There are so many products out there that the FDA simply can’t police the entire market. We have always maintained that it is the competitor’s responsibility for what they put in their body. Alternatively, there are products that bear the seal of a reputable testing laboratory.

A few years ago, I attended the NFL Combine in Indianapolis where drug testing was one of the scientific-legal topics. To be approved by the NFL, a supplement company has to post a $.5M bond. That pretty well separates the wheat from the chaff.

So, back to Lance. No one has even come close to his accomplishments, not the least of which was a near-death experience with cancer. No one has his physiology- the subject of a scientific session some years back at the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine. No one athlete has been subjected to the numbers of tests for drug use, and he has passed every one.

On the down side, with the resources available, you can be sure that there will never be a drug test, the results of which Lance did not know before. The “positive” test criteria is liberal and you can detect the presence of synthetic anabolic steroids. People have become educated on when to cycle off to ensure that their values are within “normal” limits.

It’s disturbing to see someone that you’ve admired for years be accused by eyewitnesses. In a sport where the likelihood of winning without pharmacological assistance is a remote possibility, claims that “he’s using” are to be expected. The practical reality is that if you don’t do what virtually everyone in cycling is doing, you’re not going to be a contender.

So, why not just say, “Screw it. Do what you want. We’ll lose a few people each year”- but wait- we’re already doing that. One of the major unintended consequences is that you’ve opened up the entire scholastic sport system to unmonitored use. We know that this is going on in high school, but who has the money to test? And without any semblance of illegality, the problems are magnitude.

A sports psychologist did a study on Olympic athletes, asking if they would be willing to take a pill that would ensure victory while cutting five years from their life. Most said “yes” they’d take the pill. It’s a shame that sport has become so contaminated. It’s also tragic that it has taken professional sports so long in the face of bitter adversity, to take a lead in enforcing a drug-free competition. It’s a shame that there are always a few bad apples that want to cut corners, be it banned substances or illegal gear. The relevant question is, “are we any better?” I hope so.

Men of a Certain Age

2011-06-05T05:10:00.000-07:00

In 1974, my friend and fellow firefighter Willie Barreto and I swung our legs over our motorcycles and headed South for the University of Tennessee where the 20th Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine was being held. My fascination with exercise science would take me on a intriguing and circuitous route. As a graduate student, funding for travel was always a challenge and the hospitality of the Knoxville Fire Department helped defray costs. There may have been 300 scientists at the meeting, but I was in sensory overload. Last week, I attended the 58th annual meeting in Denver. Over 6000 of the more than 25,000 members attended the five-day meeting.

Now a fellow and card-carrying member of the organization, I was looking for familiar faces in this sea of physicians, educators, researchers and all-around cool people. Their joie d’vie is infectious and the breath of knowledge was not unlike attempting to drink from a fire hose. But there are two members in particular that I was looking for: Dr. Jack Harvey, team physician for a bunch of Olympic, professional and scholastic sports, and my co-author of our book, Hard Work, Dr. Brian Sharkey.

Jack’s accomplishments both within his profession and his extra-mural activities could be the subject of a major motion picture. Over the past 20-plus years we’ve telly-skied, ran and mountain biked the Rockies- much to our mutual satisfaction. Jack was helpful in writing up our medical guidelines for treatment of Firefighter Combat Challenge competitors who were in over their head.

Brian, in addition to his tenure with the University of Montana has been intimately involved with health and fitness issues for the US Forest Service wildland firefighting community as well as the US Nordic Ski Team. As a research associate, he worked closely with me on my nearly six-year USMC project, conducting one of the most comprehensive, multi-environmental physiological overlay studies of of its kind. His professional contributions include the pack test, now a standard for getting your Red Card- the “good to go” benchmark for wildland firefighter.

The three of us would capture one of those rare opportunities to connect at Jack’s ranch and swap stories and reminisce over great food and adult beverages. Our recollections of events of the past become more woollier with each retelling. Our scars are like tattoos, but with more interesting stories.

The following day, I would head to Ontario for our fifth event of this season. Again, I would meet friends and Challenge competitors such as Walt White and John Walka who have been a part of the SFCC for 20 years! Incredible when you think about it. Participation in the Challenge can be a life-changing experience, as attested by one of this week’s competitors who lost over 30 pounds in his quest to find a new life.

In reflecting back upon the people who have helped in so many ways, I can say that the friends that I have made along the way are precious and valuable in so many ways. The collective energy of people who are winners is contagious. The common thread that seems to bind this community together is not just the relentless pursuit of athletic excellence, but the camaraderie that takes place outside of the banner line. As a consequence of their involvement, friendships have been forged that span the continent and even the globe. I hope that you’re getting your fair share.

Good to Go in Seattle

2011-05-25T15:42:00.001-07:00

After several years of development and a lot of tweaking of the model, we rolled out our first Good To Go (G2G) initiative at the Seattle Fire Department’s JTA (Joint Training Academy), May 12 and 13. Leading the charge was James Hilliard, Battalion Chief and Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge competitor.

The didactic program was organized around the Firefighter Survival Manual (FSM) - the book currently being developed to support this unique training package. Coupled with Chief Hilliard’s enthusiasm, the Seattle firefighters were an impressive group. Over a two-day, repeating schedule, almost 90 firefighters and officers showed up- on their own time to attend the day-long seminar and workshop.

The morning’s classroom session covered the first four chapters of the FSM, including topics on health risk factors, medical screening, fitness benefits and fire suppression physiology. Lunch was covered by the Officer’s Association and mentor-coaches formed up three platoons that rotated every 20 minutes across the Climb/Hoist, Forcible Entry and Lift/Drag stations.

Once the familiarity phase was done, everyone donned their bunkers and a Scott NX-G7 Air-Pak and walked (no racing) through the course, two at a time. Virtually everyone came in well under the suggested 6:00 cutoff and earned their G2G tee shirt and certificate. What an impressive group of professionals!

Now, back to the drawing board for a few tweaks in the PowerPoint presentation and the protocols, then we’re taking requests from other interested departments across the nation. I realize that the criterion tasks that comprise the Essential Function Test (EFT) might seem daunting to the uninitiated. But what the G2G program demonstrates is that if you pace yourself, you can probably finish comfortably on less than half of a :30 bottle of air.

At the conclusion of the EFT course, we polled a number of Seattle firefighters for their reactions. The common thread- this is not unlike a good “worker.” Some remarked that they had been to fires that were more demanding. The consensus was that unlike a real fire, the EFT had a finish line and knowing that, “gutting it out” for five minutes was a reasonable reflection of the physical demands of structural firefighting.

Many opined that knowing that their crew could successfully complete the EFT was reassuring, since it removed the ambiguity of uncertainty about the capabilities of who was backing you up. Everyone was on board with the “fit firefighter was a safe firefighter.“ As we all know, if you go down at the scene, we’ve not only lost you, but probably another four guys that will be taken out of action to haul you off to the ambulance.

Necessity, the Mother of Invention

2011-05-16T14:30:00.000-07:00

I'm headed East out of Seattle, writing this week's BlogSpot at 35,000 feet. Not that it's unusual for me to compose stuff on airplanes, but this time, I'm actually POSTING it while in flight thanks to SWA's new WiFi system. Who would ever have thought you could surf the web from five miles up? Technology is truly marvelous.

One of the features of the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge is its simplicity. Aside from the Keiser Force Machine, there’s not a lot of sophisticated equipment required. This past week, I think that I’ve seen a new level of innovation; Jake Bange of Seattle FD is now carrying his version of the FCC course in the back of his Chevy pickup truck.

Lots of Competitors have used car tires to replicate dragging the hose. But, the fidelity of one tire looses something in the translation since the friction weight starts to go geometric as you add more length to the real hose drag. Then, there’s that pesky sensation when the second section “kicks in” and spins you around.

We haven’t done the definitive study to precisely identify the exact weight, but 240 pounds on the dynamometer was the value that I obtained the last time I measured the 1.75” hose fully extended. Jake has figured out a way to replicate the spin-around effect: use two tires, separated by a rope of approximately 20 feet. You take off with the first tire and then the second one kicks in. The great thing about this prop is that the country is awash with thousands of worn out mounted light duty truck tires. You can use a large eye bolt and big washer to penetrate the center of the tire tread. Or, if you’ve got the rim, just thread a rope or strap through the center hole and one of the lug bolt holes.

Jake gets triple duty out of his props; the tire can be used as a substitute for the Keiser station, or with a harness, towing the whole ensemble backwards really taxes the legs. You can bang away on the tire while standing on it, all the while getting a pretty good forearm workout just like what you’d feel on the sled. I tried the backwards drag and the legs definitely get a great pump.

There’s one more station that can be replicated with the tire; use a wider tire laying on its side as a step and move your feet up and down as fast as you can. Do about 60 counts to give you a reasonable facsimile for climbing the tower. Throw your shoulder load on for more intensity.

One more prop- the elastic stretching bands can be a substitute for the hose hoist. A nice wide sheet works pretty well; not as good as kettle bells, but you can replicate the biomechanics reasonably well.

So, there you have it. Almost the entire setup, for next to nothing in cost. And, oh yeah, the pickup truck ensures that wherever you go, you’ve got it: your own Challenge training course.

Contraband Days

2011-05-09T15:45:00.000-07:00

One of the great things about the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge is the interesting places you get to go and the people you meet. This past weekend was no exception. Lake Charles (LA) is home to the second largest event in the state (after Mardi Gras). It’s based on the activities of the French Gulf Coast pirate, Jean LeFitte and his exploits, including the sequestering of a treasure trove that people still search for. Besides having the mayor of Lake Charles walk the gangplank, he did help the US during the war of 1812. Check it out on Wikipedia. But enough of that.

I want to recognize the Challenge competitors and organizers of this event. We were last in town in 2003. From the states of Oklahoma, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, North Carolina, and of course the home state came over 100 participants. We were ready for some warmer weather and this weekend was perfect. Not only was the event on the front page of the local paper, but we also had coverage on the NBC local affiliate.

Lots of new people and some that we’ve haven’t seen in some time, including former two-time King of the Jungle, MSgt Eric Akers, USMC (ret), sporting long hair and a beard! Dave Bowman did an outstanding job, and in his inimitable, understated fashion said, “I’m okay with that.”

But the person who deservedly warrants a proper shout out is Cheri Ardoin. Putting together the fabric of a successful event can be a thankless task. It takes coordination with multiple city agencies, sponsors and support systems like EMS and concessions. As this event would go into the night, even the lighting needed to be addressed. Cheri pulled this off singlehandedly and on top of it all, took 11 seconds off her personal best! That had to be sweet in front of the home crowd.

I was remiss since I did not get video of the perfect biomechanics of her dummy lift and drag. This would be schoolroom perfect for anyone starting out in the Challenge. When I complimented her, she said that she was routinely practicing with a 190 pound dummy, so this one was easy. Her time of 3:21 is exemplary and even more so when you consider that she’s a whopping 131-lb, 41 y.o. mother!

Now, where’s the next person who’s wimping out about how tough this competition is?

Dodged Another Bullet

2011-04-29T00:29:00.000-07:00

As a nationally touring sports enterprise, the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge has made appearances in 324 locations, including 45 states and the District of Columbia over the past 20 years in a country with sometimes inhospitable weather. Starting this year in Indianapolis, we were challenged by an ice-covered tower. In Ohio a couple of weeks later, 40 mile-per-hour winds buffeted our venue.

Back in the 90’s while in Florida, we narrowly missed a couple of hurricanes. Torrential rainstorms have slowed us down, but never caused a cancellation. Even the hurricane that crossed directly over Deerfield Beach, pushing 18 inches of sand onto the parking lot didn’t completely stop us, but we did have to postpone the event.

Wind is the constant threat. With thousands of square feet of “sail,” we’re a big target for damage. In Asheville three years ago, a micro-burst of wind picked up one of our loading boxes weighing over 400 pounds and snapped a ratchet strap like it was nothing. Annually, we lose about $1000 in damages due to wind. No matter how smart we think we are, and how well secured is our stuff, Mother Nature seems to take advantage when you’re not looking.

This week in Tuscaloosa we set another record of sorts. Our four tractor-trailer units were distributed over several locations in preparation for this weekend’s event. In anticipation of a looming tornado, Chuck and Bill brought our Honda 3kW generator, a stash of energy bars and three flats of water back to the hotel. Not long thereafter, the storm hit. They were, without a doubt, the best prepared guests at the hotel and treated as heroes for thinking of a best case solution for an otherwise dreary stay.

Last year, we held an event in Albertville, Alabama about a month after a tornado hit that community. We went looking for the damage and there was a street that had been pretty torn up. That wasn’t as bad as the year we had an event in Oklahoma. I recall looking out the window of the American Airlines jet, as we flew low over the sea of blue tarps that covered thousands of roofs.

But Chuck said that this was the worst by far. Sirens were wailing until there were no more towers. The funnel skirted within a block of the hotel. Bodies were strewn across the streets and recovery continues as I write this. Our Command Trailer was parked at the Fire Academy. One of the buildings there was ripped from its foundation. Our operations center, manufactured by Hercules was spun around and pushed up against the fence without any damage.

The Tower and the Dorsey Performance car-carrier trailer were unscathed. It took several hours to access the Kentucky semi because it was staged behind a barricaded area of the city where significant damage occurred. When Chuck and Bill reached the unit they were pleased to see that a banner that was affixed to the unit with bungee cords was still in tack.

We will be back to Tuscaloosa. Given the widespread devastation, it will take the hosts, the TFD some time to sort out their immediate needs and go back to the drawing boards. We thank all of your for your expressions of sympathy for the loss of life and widespread destruction that has been meted out to the unfortunate residents of Tuscaloosa.

Monday, we head West to Lake Charles, LA. Hopefully this time, we’ll have a rather mundane weather system riding along with us. After all, we need a break!

What’s Lactate Got to do With It?

2011-04-21T07:07:00.001-07:00

In my last Blogspot, I discussed the theoretical model for a World Record on the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge course. The assumption was that running full out, based on the fastest splits recorded (casually), 1:05 would be about it for a relay team. But for an individual, the limiting factor is not the time, but actually the lactate threshold.

Exercise that is performed as a “pay as you go” activity is called aerobic energy because you can metabolize glucose at a rate that allows turnover. But when the intensity is increased, the products of combustion- carbon dioxide, water and lactate cannot be dumped fast enough. Lactic acid interferes with the ability to shove more fuel in the furnace and at some point, something has to give.

Dr. Timothy Noakes, from the University of Cape Town is arguably the world’s leading authority on the subject of lactate measurement and its impact on sport performance. His research has changed a lot of how we think about Specificity of Training- the result being more efficiencies in recycling the lactate with a resistance to fatigue. For the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge, strength is not the issue; power is.

There may be some opportunities in the not too distant future to conduct some applied research among our Challenge competitors to understand better how specific training can create new breakthroughs. Measuring blood lactate in the field has benefited greatly through micro-electronics. In the early 90’s we were collecting blood samples in micro-pipettes from finger pricks and assaying them in a laboratory with the assistance of various chemical cocktails. Now, you can get the same data instantly with hand-held meters.

I’ve maintained from our inception that we can train a lot smarter, with less time and better results if we know where we are on periodization. I also believe that many of our athletes unfortunately subscribe to the theory that anything worth doing is worth overdoing. Fatigue increases the risk of injury; rest is an essential factor in recovery and must be planned for. Residual muscle soreness is a clue that you’re not ready to resume training.

The Human Limits of a World Record

2011-04-11T03:18:00.000-07:00

In the very early years of the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge, the two minute barrier seemed to be daunting. Could someone actually break two minutes? In the context of a historical sports event, it seemed to be up there with the four minute mile. As an ingenue sport, Challenge competitors brought their personal experience in athletics to the competition. Almost everyone had participated in organized sport at the high school or collegiate level.

Training was not a foreign concept, but specificity of training was not widely practiced. For example, pulling a Honda up a hill with a shoulder harness was one unique modality. If you were an endurance athlete, like a cyclist, then that was what you knew best and how you trained. Traditional strength training had a lot of followers, with the mistaken belief that getting stronger would somehow convert into becoming faster. When adding 75 pounds to a PR failed to evoke a change on the course, a lot of competitors started to re-examine their workouts.

Today, top competitors have scientific regimens prepared by kinesiologists and personal trainers- all the amenities found at the Olympics or other world-class competitions. Rest, and active rest have assumed importance in the workout cycle. Breaking down the components into splits allows athletes to determine where they are relative to being on a PR pace and when they need to break off training to allow recovery.

Answering the question, “What are the human limits of a near perfect run?” comes the introspective analysis of Mike Mederios, team captain of Horry County. Mike, using data from the best of the best splits created a theoretical perfect storm. Here are the splits, based upon the Relay. The relay was originally conceived as a way of determining how fast the course could be run if every event was completed at terminal velocity.

Tower ascent: 12 seconds
Hose Hoist: 5.8 seconds
Tower Descent: 10.88 seconds
Forcible Entry: 7 seconds
Hydrant Run: 9.9 seconds
Hose Advance: 7.8 seconds
Victim Rescue: 12 seconds
Total Time: 1:05.38

The current World Record (WR) Relay time held by Clayton County (GA) is a stunning 1:07.74. Bob Russell’s (Overland Park, KS) single run of 1:19.02, now 10 years old continues to be the speed chimera. The conditions at this year’s venue will be near perfect. A flat platform with excellent foot traction. Weather and wind cooperating. Now, with a heated tray, you have a constant coefficient of friction on the Keiser Force Machine. Could this be the year? There’s a lot of time between now and November 18. The tension builds.

New World Record set in Indy!

2011-03-29T02:53:00.000-07:00

Well, not exactly the kind you want to set; but in Indianapolis this past week, we conducted the coldest Challenge yet. The prior week saw temperatures in the 70°s; Wednesday, during setup, we’re wearing our traditional garb of shorts and sandals. Then the wind picked up and the temperature plummeted 40° overnight.

A drizzle moved in and started to freeze with a quarter inch (8mm) of ice covering the tower resulting our canceling the day’s races. Regrettably, about 15 competitors in the open class had to return to work, so they were unable to run Thursday. Our apologies. Such is the danger of holding events in March in Indiana. The good news is that the date returns to April next year. The reason for the switch was that Indianapolis won the bid to host the NCAA Final Four.

Despite the weather, hundreds of spectators stood in the 25kt wind, mesmerized with the competition. This is a great platform and we are excited about growing the importance of this event in the out years.

A lot of the off season hard work of Chuck DeGrandpre and Bill Alexander was on display. The heated Keisers were probably the most appreciated. It will be difficult to ensure that the trays will always be at a precise temperature. But with the mercury hovering around freezing to the very low 40°s, we were able to get the temperature to 80°.

In a practical sense, this means that shadows will no longer have the dramatic effect of the past. Our preference will still be to orient the course N-S. But sometimes that’s impossible.

We’ve added a shortened (height) banner as a delineator so that there is less confusion as to which way to go when you come off the Keiser. We’ll monitor the placement to see if our location is proper.

The second generation of the start system has been created. We found out that our Alge timing system does not like these cold temperatures and gets balky. This is the same device that the Olympics use for downhill racing. Maybe they have it in a heated environment?

ProTech has donated gear bags for a random winner; the prize is made at the conclusion of the Awards Ceremony; you must be present to win. Scott McClellan, regrettably had left.

Just a note of caution regarding the start. You can adjust the pack, but you cannot touch it once you are set on the start pads. To avoid a false start (red light penalty: 5 seconds), you must remain motionless for 2 seconds. I know for some of you, that’s a lot to ask. Attention to this simple request will result in no false starts this year. While considerable discussion on this topic took place at the CAB meeting this past year, not present was Chuck, with his compelling research conducted over last year’s off season. This was the topic of my earlier post on this topic. Let’s move on; or, err, not move for two seconds before moving on.

We will never change the nature of the Challenge as a head-to-head competition. For the obvious reason that there is no head-to-head competition anywhere in the world that allows people to self start, we will likewise adhere to the tried and true, one clock for both competitors. Imagine the crowd trying to figure out who’s actually in the lead?

Very few crashes at the finish line, we’re happy to report (maybe one?). It’s your responsibility to stop the clock; failure to do so will result in a 2 second penalty.

Thinking that the boot issue was finally put to rest, a competitor asked me “Where does it say that you have to be NFPA compliant?” I was astounded. I attempted to politely respond that NFPA 1971 has been the standard since 1991 and we have never changed this rule since the inception of the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge. He said he never saw this on the website. I’m wondering if we’re looking at the same website. On the subject of enforcement, I tried the following analogy: let’s say you’ve been doing 80 mph down I-95 for years and you get stopped. Try telling the cop that since you’ve never got caught that your driving velocity should be allowed.

It’s About Time...

2011-03-21T12:51:00.000-07:00

An introspective look at the mechanics of running the Challenge

Shaving seconds off the clock is the constant pursuit of all Challenge Competitors. Initially, improvements come in large blocks of seconds. But at some point, you hit that barrier where you’re chasing fractions of seconds. It’s not unlike golf where the improvements come in huge chunks and then it’s progressively harder to get that stroke count under 80, then 70.

The Start
In sprint types of races, 100m, 200m, drag racing, etc., fractions of seconds is what it’s all about. With our current start system, the human variability has been largely removed in that the Starter does not control when the siren sounds. The old days of a Competitor playing some kind of a head game against an opponent has been taken out of the equation. Now, it’s a head game that you play against yourself. How can you benefit by using your own reaction time?

Putting reaction time in proper context, consider that the average finish time is now around two minutes, and a number of competitors are in the one-thirty range. Realistically, what additional benefit can you ascribe to the start? The start system provides micro-second data on reaction times, and we’ve been casually observing the mechanics of thousands of races. Realistically, in an event that takes over 90 seconds to complete- unlike sprint events, the start is not where the race is won. Said another way, it’s not worth the risk to jump the gun.

Over the winter of 2010, Chuck DeGrandpre and Bill Alexander spent a considerable amount of time focusing on a transparent and objective method for standardizing the start. Hundreds of trials were run and videotaped. The election for a five-second penalty was based upon a number of factors. False starts had been a problem and resetting a race was impracticable. Five seconds for a false start makes sense when you consider that jumping early can give you nearly a two second advantage over the siren, in addition to the disconcerting effect on the other competitor

Contrary to the claims that “I never moved before the green light”, video confirms that competitors are moving their foot. They wouldn’t believe it until they watched the videotape. If you’re properly positioned with the ball of your feet planted on the pressure switch, you’re not going to get a red light. Period. There’s a very simple solution for avoiding the red light: Don’t Do It. The difference between anticipation of the siren and moving on the sound will save you more time than you’ll ever make up.

Gaining Ground
If you look at the Challenge Course events for where you can make the greatest improvement, focus on the delineator run and hose advance. The hardest thing to do is get over the mindset that says, “This is a great time to recover.” Running versus walking has the potential to take seconds off your time thereby removing any thoughts about the milliseconds that may be acquired for the start, or risking a five-second penalty.

The Keiser
In the last CAB meeting, the subject of the Keiser Forcible Entry Simulator was brought up. Specifically, discussed was the change in the coefficient of friction associated with temperature. We have known this for a very long time, but solutions have eluded us. Keeping both sleds in the sun is one way of having consistent lanes, but that’s not always possible when the course orientation is East to West. So, we’ve added heating elements to the trays that will keep the temperature ≈ 110°F (43°C), consistent with exposure to direct sunlight.

The Finish
For as long as we’ve been running the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge, we’ve been providing coaching tips to help everyone’s performance. We’ve repeatedly pointed out that loss of control on the dummy drag is non-productive and potentially dangerous. Watching hundreds of Competitors as they approach the finish line, we couldn’t help but notice that those who turn their head to check their location would soon follow with a fall. It was nearly automatic. It is an enormous temptation that unfortunately comes with disastrous consequences.

The other problem observed at World Challenge XIX were the numbers of competitors who felt compelled to throw (lunge) themselves backwards at the finish line. The potential of a career-ending injury is unconscionable, not to mention the toll that this rash act has on very expensive breathing apparatus.

The argument in defense of the crash and burn finish just doesn’t hold any water. No one ever got to first base faster by sliding, jumping or lunging. It’s been scientifically proven that continuing your stride and motion across the bag is the fastest way to get there. It’s the same with the Challenge.

Finish Line Mechanics
Since its inception, the SFCC rules have stated that your time stops when you- the Competitor and the feet of the mannequin cross the threshold. It is the magnets in the heels of the boots of the dummy that close the circuit on a series of reed switches thereby stopping the clock. This is a competition unlike any other, where the victim’s position is paramount, versus the leading edge of the athlete that stops the clock. We make no apologies for this; it’s what makes firefighting what it is- it’s about saving the victim. It’s also expensive to design a system to do this, but we’re not about shortcuts.

New Rule Change
We have been studying ways to make our event safer and finishing under control is one of the best ways to lessen injuries and minimize damage to the equipment. The responsibility for stopping the clock will be that of the Competitor. For the 2011 season, those individuals who fail to stop the clock, will be given a handheld stopwatch time plus two seconds. If there is a mechanical problem with the clock, there is no penalty.

The immediate benefit will be seen in the Relay category where one lane’s completion time is fixed and displayed and the other continues to run, thereby eliminating confusion as to who won.

Why NFPA 1971

2011-03-14T13:31:00.000-07:00

Not wishing to pound the boot issue into the pavement, I hope that this posting will cover the last vestiges of doubt about the NFPA process of certifying PPE, and why we have elected to subscribe to NFPA standards.

1. Because it is the only universally recognized standard in North America. No need for us to re-invent the wheel.
2. We do not wish to substitute our judgment for that of those who actually make products or test same.
3. Since its inception, NFPA 1971 has been the criteria by how the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge determines compliance.
4. Originally, we subscribed to the honor system, whereby we mistakenly believed that everyone would play by the rules.
5. As we began to drill down, we found that some few competitors where taking short cuts.
6. We do not know the intricacies of how a non-NFPA compliant boot could be assumed to be so, but we have a few clues.
7. The word “or” in our rules was misinterpreted, thereby validating that anything that can be misinterpreted, will be.
8. The intended inference was to the Globe Footwear product, which does not have steel caps or shanks; ergo, “or.”
9. This was not the best choice of a word, no doubt giving rise to the erroneous conclusion that any product with a steel cap or shank was okay.
10. The language that precedes this part of the rules takes precedent and seems to be overlooked; it is repeated here:

Turnout Gear
All competitors must compete in their own protective equipment. PPE (i.e., turnout gear - helmet, coat, pants, gloves and boots) must be serviceable (i.e., without holes, or excessive wear), approved for structural fire fighting consistent with NFPA 1971 standards in effect at the time of manufacture. Hoods, face shields and earflaps are not required.

Now, a word about helmets.
We enjoy the clever designs and modifications to your racing helmets. We realize that some of you have spent upwards of $500 in decorating your lid, and that you’re not going to be fighting fire while wearing these noggin protectors. However, the basic premise is that you start with an NFPA 1971 compliant helmet and do not remove the label. Also, the original suspension and padding materials are not to be removed.

20th Annual Scott Seattle Stair Climb

2011-03-07T07:30:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, John Granby and I traveled to Seattle to be the gear inspectors for the 20th Annual Scott Stair Climb, a charity event that benefits the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The Columbia tower rises above Seattle to the tune of 74 stories. I believe that the fastest climbers, in full bunkers and on breathing air do it with one bottle in under 10 minutes. Pretty impressive. Most of the participants make a bottle change on the 40th floor. I took the challenge of joining the “sweepers” following up the last firefighter. My self-appointed job was to pick up beer bottles, knowing that likelihood would be non-existent, but sounded pretty official.

Checking 1500 sets of gear is a daunting task in of itself; I’ve got some ideas about how to avoid that number of squats to check boots for next year. I’m getting a stick on which to place my magic magnet!

The participants came in all sizes, colors and sex; from near and far- the Kiwi’s covering the longest distance. It’s always a pleasure to be around people who are into fitness. Their attitudes reflect the joie d’vive- the well-adjusted mindset of people who have a purpose in life. I couldn’t help but think of a few of the experiences that I had, back in the day when we had a working fire in a high rise building and the numbers of firefighters who were incapable of climbing the 20 stories to the top. Quite a contrast; making me think, “Why do we need to find out at the time of the fire that we can’t safely get the job done?”

In only 30 minutes, you get a pretty good perspective on where you are, relative to where you should be. It’s a self-diagnostic test that transcends numbers like your maximal oxygen uptake or blood lactate threshold. Come to think of it, it’d be a pretty good entrance test for the fire department. Some time back, I was asked to testify as an Expert Witness for the Los Angeles Fire Department in a case based upon fitness for duty. In my meeting with the fire chief, I asked him, “what is your expectation on the number of floors a LA firefighter should be able to climb at the scene of a fire?”

His reply: “To the top.” Pretty well sums it up.

False Negatives and True Positives

2011-03-03T08:17:00.000-08:00

For more than a decade, we’ve subscribed to the tenants of Drug-Free Sports. About fifteen years ago, we were approached by some competitors who were concerned about what appeared to be pretty obvious “saucing up” by a few of the competitors. Mistakenly of the belief that the honor system would work, we asked that everyone execute a form that they were competing without the assistance of any banned substance. Guess that didn’t work because we were observing people that clearly did not bulk up by just lifting weights- despite the fact that they gleefully signed the forms.

I’m not unfamiliar with the benefits of steroid use; back in the 70’s, the de rigueur for all power athletes at all levels of competition was to “use.” Prescriptions could be obtained legally and I, as a paramedic administered such drugs to a couple of my Olympic weight lifting team member graduate students while on the faculty at the University of Maryland. After all, “everyone was doing it.” But the times and climate have changed.

For awhile, sport scientists were discounting the benefits; as a card carrying Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, I would espouse the party line that “they don’t work.” All the while, I’m watching guys add 50 pounds of lean mass and see their PRs skyrocket. We lost a lot of credibility by denying the obvious. Anabolic steroids do work. That’s why it’s cheating.

So, we started testing in the Challenge. Initially, every time we conducted a drug test, we caught someone. There would be protests, but not too vocal protests. In the last couple of years, we’ve not detected anyone using. We know about cycling off anabolic steroids, hence we would test randomly. We also know that some people may have been innocently caught because you can’t believe the labels of some packagers. But, we hold the end user responsible for knowing what they’re putting in their bodies. Simply stated, you must know the origin of your supplements. There are some reputable brands out there. For example, EAS has to post a $250K bond with the NFL to have their products tested. I know this because I attended the NFL Combine and sat in on the meeting on drug testing.

There are legally prescribed drugs that are banned for sport use. But we have never had this problem. There are recreational drugs that are illegal, but are not ergogenic. Maybe that was what caused the initial push back when we announced that we were starting drug testing. To make one point perfectly clear, we do not report results to anyone other than the offender. And cannabis, while a banned substance, does not rise to the level of enhancing performance.
If you want to know what’s banned, go to: http://www.drugfreesport.com/

The impetus for this post came from an article in the Washington Post’s Sports section this week. The link is reproduced in this Blog so you can read the entire article for yourself. In the article, there were some examples of athletes who were screwed over by bad data.

Our policy is a part of our rules. Please read them over. Nothing has changed- just like the boot thing- same rules. Enforcement by testing everyone is not possible or even feasible. But, we will test. We would much rather not spend the money, but regrettably, that honor system thing just didn’t cut it.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/26/AR2011022603925.html

A War Horse’s Perspective

2011-02-26T14:57:00.000-08:00

Joining the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge last year as a prize sponsor, Paul Conway Shields is the recognized industry leader. Competitors who have placed at Regional, National and World events have taken home unique mounted shields, ready for display in a myriad of locations ranging from their dens to fire academy walls. Wanting to get a glimpse behind the scenes, I visited the Paul Conway Shields headquarters in New Berlin, WI this past Thursday.

I asked Paul Conway how he got started in the shield business. Like a lot of small businessmen and as a young fireman with the Milwaukee Fire Department he saw a need in the field and believed he could do better for the men and women in the fire service. Starting out in his parents’ basement he did just that by a long shot. Waiting for up to 12 weeks for an order to arrive was the impetus to “build the better mouse trap.” It’s not a terribly complicated manufacturing process. You take leather hides and use dies to cut them to their final shape. Layers are sewn together and graphics added, as specified by the customer. Although some of the process is now automated, much of it is done like it was done 25 years ago, BY HAND. You can choose from a wide variety of web-based templates that include colors of all sort, badges, numbers, passports, and mounting configurations. (www.PaulConwayShields.com)

But far more interesting than the mechanics of making fire helmet shields was the conversation that I had with Paul about the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge and his participation a few years back when we held a Challenge in Janesville. Coming straight from work at the Milwaukee Fire Department, Paul and his buddies arrived to what would be the unexpected sight of firefighters warming up on Keiser bikes and a wide assortment of “very serious guys.”

I think that this impression is hugely important because it typifies the mindset and attitudes of a lot of firefighters. But the big difference is that to Paul, this was not a deterrent. He thought through the whole process logically and rather than heading to the exits; he rationalized, “this is just stuff that I do every day on the job.” And he paced himself through the course, ending up on his feet and thinking, “That wasn’t so bad. What’s the big deal?”

The unprompted brand recognition of the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge is nearly universal in the fire service. If you haven’t heard of the Challenge, you’re not likely to be moving up the career ladder. But what continues to be mystifying is the reticence to come out and participate. We may be the collective victims of our own success. By that I mean that we have conjured up images in the minds of many that only the super-human can play- this sport is not for the ordinary.

Many years ago when I ran my first Marine Corps Marathon, I had no illusions that I would win, or place. But I was pretty sure that I could finish. How far back in the pack was the only question. And that’s been pretty much the way it’s been for any of the road races in which I participated. I run my own race against my own PR. The preponderance of firefighters is likewise racing against themselves or some sub-category of friends or rivals. There’s not a lot of room on the top of the podium in any sport. But the camaraderie within this sport is directly proportional to the intensity of attempting to do what is a reasonable facsimile of structural firefighting, but do it in an insanely short period of time.

There have been a lot of first timers who have come out thinking that they could ace this thing, only to flame out at the top of the tower, or 20 meters short on the runway. It wasn’t that they couldn’t do it, but that they failed to pace themselves and the gas tank went empty too soon. You really need to get one on the books to get a sense of how to strategically attack the course. Finishing is hugely important and invaluable as a reference point for future races.

Next month at the FDIC, Paul Conway with 26 years on and most recently promoted to Assistant Chief of MFD, will be back on the course. He believes in leading from the front and has a great sense of the importance and benefits of firefighter fitness. Clearly actions speak louder than words here.

To Be Perfectly Clear...

2011-02-22T07:39:00.000-08:00

The rules for bunker gear have been unchanged since the Challenge started twenty years ago. For ease of interpretation, we simply adopted NFPA 1971. Companies who make a business in the protective apparel market provide representatives to the 1971 Technical Committee. This committee writes the testing standards that everyone has agreed to follow.

We have observed a major paradigm shift from rubber to leather boots over these past two decades. Very few Competitors wear rubber boots. Starting with Ranger footwear in 1992, we’ve had several companies sponsor the footwear category. For the past four years, Globe Footwear has provided over 70 pairs of boots as “loaners.”

Knowing that the ergonomics of footwear are very important in sport, it’s not surprising that a disproportionate amount of attention has been directed to form, fit and function. Removing the steel shank while reducing the weight, is illegal. So is wearing a non-NFPA compliant boot.

If you don’t have a legal boot, you’re welcome to borrow a pair of Globes. We will be inspecting for compliance including a valid NFPA 1971 label. Also note, resoled boots must likewise be compliant with NFPA guidelines.

Chiefy, LLC: Dive Adventures

2011-02-12T15:22:00.004-08:00

If you’ve been in the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge for about six plus years, you’ll remember Deerfield Beach, the Blowout and a few World Challenge events just a few hundred feet from the Atlantic Ocean. The man, the myth, the legend behind this brainchild was none other than Jim Mathie, division chief for the Deerfield Fire Department. Not having seen Jim in a few years, I called him up and he and I, and our respective wives had a nice cruise Friday on his 29’ SeaVee, powered by twin Mercury 250HP-outboards. Jim is enjoying retirement to the max and has discovered the world of branding. If you saw the movie Jaws, then you know that Roy Scheider got the nickname “Chiefy” and was the slayer of Jaws, the maniacal shark that was terrorizing New England.

In Jim Mathie’s case, he’s the guy terrorizing the spiny lobsters off the coast of Boca Raton. Jim’s writing a book on how to catch lobsters and has brought out a logo’d line of Chiefy Dive Adventures apparel. I can’t think of a more idyllic lifestyle; putting in 30 years in a job you love and spending the rest of your life doing your favorite avocation: diving.

One of the sad parts of a length of service retirement program is that people sometimes believe that they’re going to do all these marvelous things, but really don’t plan to make it happen. Taking a dirt nap a year or so after you’ve retired isn’t what most people have in mind. But without taking care of your health and fitness, you’re leaving way too much to chance.

Putting effort into your personal fitness pays dividends now in the form of a safer and more effective firefighter, and this effort is “deposits“ that you put into the bank of longevity. Time has a way of flying; and the more years you accrue, it seems the faster the markers fly by. I’m probably preaching to the choir as participants of the Challenge “get it.”

I hope all of you max out your retirement, and continue to enjoy all the active lifestyle things that you always wanted to do- and have the body with which to do it. If you end up looking for lobsters, check out Jim’s website: www.Chiefy.net- you might just find yourself among that rare 6% of divers who actually catch bugs.

Flirting with the Rules

2011-02-08T12:22:00.000-08:00

From its inception, the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge has used the NFPA standards (1971) as the criteria for enforcing uniformity in what constitutes legal bunker gear. We’ve had “players” over the years who have sought an advantage by bending, if not breaking the rules. Last year, we got serious about enforcing the footwear rule. There was some unexpected push back. Understand that in our infancy, leather boots were a rare sight. Now, there’s not a serious competitor who’s playing in anything other than leather. The ergonomic advantages are significant. Knowing what we do about weight, i.e., a pound on the foot is worth 5 on the back, everyone wants to go light. If the boot does not have a label stating that it is compliant, i.e., vapor barrier, toe cap and protective shank, then why push it?

Globe has done an incredible job on creating a great product and that’s evidenced in the numbers of Challenge competitors who have switched. It’s difficult to ensure that every single competitor is playing by the rules. It takes a dedicated official to screen for adherence. Firefighters, being honorable people rarely cheat. But, unfortunately, a few do, making us now screen everyone to the best of our ability. At this stage of the game, “I didn’t know” doesn’t cut it. If ever there was a population that does know NFPA 1971, its the competitors of the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge.

It’s my best hope for season 20 that everyone steps up and plays fair. Look for the label. This coming March, John Granby and I will do the front-end screening on the 1500 firefighters who will be participating in the Scott Seattle Stair Climb. Same rules apply. We’re hoping that playing fair is a universal attribute of firefighters everywhere.

Those Thrilling Days of Yesteryear

2011-01-30T10:43:00.000-08:00

I’m departing from my usual weekly posting about Challenge-related stuff to talk about lifestyles of the rich and famous, and the not so famous. This past week, we were hit with a snow storm that created as much chaos, if not more than the aftermath of the 9.11 attack on the Pentagon. That event resulted in my brother taking about 8 hours to get across the 14th Street Bridge. (He hasn’t reported his experiences of Wednesday yet, but I know I’m in for a treat.)

This past week’s event was equally devastating because the temperature was hovering just below freezing, instantly making highways icy, coupled with the mad rush of hundreds of thousands of federal civil servants dashing for the exits. I, on the other hand, have beaten the masses- as I’m working from the home office. But, I did have a short errand to run- just a mile away and so, what the heck. It didn’t take long, but confirmed the advice of the sagacious: if you don’t have to go anywhere, don’t.

Around 9PM, I heard what sounded like the clap of a 155mm round. And, instantly, darkness. Actually, not darkness inside because the TV is on a UPS. But, I knew in an instant that a transformer had shut off. However, I knew that this was not a mere interruption, but more likely the real deal: major outage. PEPCo, the supplier to DC and most of Montgomery County has been excoriated in the Washington Post for their poor performance in restoring power. They went from one of the best in the nation to a place near the bottom. This started about the time that they stopped their preventive tree-trimming program, and I live in a forest.

Temperatures have been well below normal for the past 8 weeks and I was reasonably prepared for the siege. A black walnut tree that was near death had been taken down, aged and split and stacked in preparation. Twenty gallons of water was staged in the closet, and about 10 gallons of gasoline stored with the reliable Honda generator in the garden shed.

The first thing you do in this situation is call PEPCo and get into the cue. But, with 200,000 households, that’s pretty much a futile exercise. Most of these people were well ahead of me. The lesson learned from the three days without power is that we have it so easy today. Central heating, indoor plumbing, etc. Think about what our ancestors did to survive. Food, fuel and water dominated their consciousness. I’m sure someone has done the research on the time spent on sustenance activities. I could see where it could occupy over half of your waking hours.

The absence of electricity changes everything. The Internet does not work. And since all my TV content comes through the router, you’re out of luck there. This is a total electric house, so even the family room fireplace has a heat-a-lator which runs on 110v. So that fireplace is pretty useless. The downstairs one, however is an insert and will crank out a lot of BTUs, but has to be fed about every 35 minutes!

The other essential household product is the Honda snowblower. Forget the shoveling exercises; this is the “must have” man toy! It makes short work of the seemingly acres of driveway and sidewalks- and adds a great feeling of superiority when you drive by 40 of the neighbor’s houses, with their kids hand shoveling the tons of snow. Throwing snow 50 feet is way cool. But after last year’s 5 plus feet, it has lost some of its allure.

We’re on a well; you can use the toilets, but you must flush them with the backup, 5-gallon water bottles. The Honda generator serves the important role of keeping the refrigerator running. It can handle a few other tasks, based upon an assemblage of extension cords strewn through out the house. This is hardly primitive living; after all, with the insulation rating, the house retains heat for a very long time. But yesterday when I heard the HVAC unit kick on, it was like a miracle, as though you fast-forwarded through 150 years in an instant.

In the 1800’s, if you were very wealthy, you had servants who stoked the fires, drew the water, and did all the menial tasks. Today, we have electricity that does all this and so much more. Being reduced for a few days to survival mode is a great learning experience, making me more appreciative for the modern miracles that are a part of my everyday life. We’re doing things today that I could never have imagined while in college, or even a few years ago. In the height of the storm, with the power out, I was still checking my email- on my iPad!

I had a professor who had to be 80+. He used to talk constantly about the “good old days.” I think this guy had attended Lincoln’s Gettysburg address. His take on things: “You want the good old days? You can have them. I like my shirts that come back from the laundry all wrapped up.” That was 40 years ago. Now, you just take them out of the dryer, ready to go!

Taken in context, these small crises make us reflect on how much we have and how good we’ve got it!

Check Out What $45M Gets You

2011-01-24T07:33:00.000-08:00

Friday, January 22 I had the privilege of getting the “Cook’s Tour” of the Indian River State College public safety campus. I have to admit that I was completely unprepared for what met my eye. Just a few miles off the intersection of Florida Turnpike and I-95, the back roads that meandered past some stands of pines and a few structures seemed to be taking me to yet another remote training academy.

When I made the left turn onto Kirby Loop Road, the “Taj Mahal” of Public Safety training academies beckoned. Not to spoil the suspense, but you’ll want to bring your Ez-Up, lawn chairs and coolers for our three-day culmination of Season 20. This is the first drill tower that I’ve seen with stainless steel railings, windows and doors. “Built to Last” is a moniker that quickly comes to mind.

I signed the contract, so, we’re a “Go” for this event, October 28, 29 and 30.

The Blog vs. the Forum & More Team Discussion

2011-01-20T06:19:00.000-08:00

To the fullest extent possible, we want to provide all of our Challenge athletes the opportunity to be connected- to know what’s going on, and where we’re going. The Blog does have a feature that allows readers to post their comments. In response to my last editorial, I received three such notes. The forum is more free-ranging and affords a very relaxed environment to share opinions. We try to monitor the content, and provide responses when possible. I’m always available by email or telephone. I have never knowingly ignored either.

To further clarify my last posted remarks: We have elected to follow the Olympic model in our attempt to make the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge a truly international event. The analogy to the Olympics is universally understood and pre-dates our 20-year protocol with a century of experience.

As the number of foreign teams rise, so will the attendant interest from the general media increase. This creates much more sponsorship opportunities, since a team trumps the focus on a single individual.

I can not say with certainty when we will reach critical mass and allow only one US Team to participate in a truly World Championship, but I do believe that the day is coming. In all likelihood, the event will be held in Berlin, where each of the EU members will be sending a team.

The interests expressed in increasing the numbers of open class, non-team affiliated competitors would be one of the logical extensions of an expanded US National Championship. Of course, at that time, we’ll be in the same boat as the USOC in trying to sort out who’s on the representative team; will it be comprised of the best, or the team that won? Stay tuned.

It's a TEAM Sport

2011-01-13T02:03:00.000-08:00

Our World Wide Vision for the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge

Paul O. Davis, Ph.D.

Creator, Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge

For those of you who took the time to send us your comments about how we structured the playoffs, I want to take this opportunity to provide you with our perspective on where we want to go with the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge.

From its inception twenty years ago, the competition has been built around the Team category. As you know, you can have up to five members on your team. For teams who earn either a bye or a slot in the final day, all of their members, regardless of an individual’s time, advance into the finals. Sometimes, the unexpected happens and a person who had not thought to be “in the zone” ends up adding to the total.

Several years into the competition, we recognized that there were individual athletes who had a shot at winning the King of the Jungle title, but were not on a team. The Individual category was then created to address this inequity. Since the majority of the fastest players were already on teams, the number of “open class” individuals was not very large. By allowing the 3 fastest individuals a slot, we were pretty sure that the fastest competitor would be allowed a shot at the title, even if they weren’t on a team. This last year, we had considerably more than 3 people competing as an individual. In fact, we had 64 competitors not on teams running on the final day.

As the interest in the Challenge began to expand globally, we began to look at the competition as a true, World event. To encourage foreign growth, we tendered offers to foreign national teams to attend our event. They were awarded byes to ensure that we would take on a truly international flavor. After all, if we’re going to call this the World Challenge, then we need to have teams from outside of North America in the event.

The interest expressed by foreign national teams now numbers to be more than a dozen. Ultimately, the World Challenge will be comprised of only one team from each participating country, much like the Olympics. You’ll have to win that spot and represent your country. Each nation’s team will be their country’s champion, regardless of their time. Some like the Jamaican bob sled team won’t be very good. But they will have earned the right to represent their country.

In all likelihood, the World Championship will move around the globe. What we presently call World Challenge will become the US Nationals. And just like MLB, the NFL, etc., if you’re a member of a team, even if you’re the water boy, you get a ring if your team wins.

There is no intention to denigrate the stellar performances of anyone in the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge who has a time less than 2 minutes, 100 seconds, or less. It’s just that the structure of the Team competition is foremost in our promotional efforts.

Picking World Challenge Venues- first in a series

2011-01-04T10:35:00.000-08:00

This post is the first of several that will analyze the responses to our World Challenge XIX on-line survey; this first one will address the Myrtle Beach venue, and compare and contrast it to our five-year stint in Las Vegas.

Las Vegas offered a number of attractions, not the least of which is the ambiance of an internationally-recognized venue. Fremont Street, with its $100M, five-and-one-half block long VivaVision is an incredible backdrop for the show. Everyday, 25,000 people walk under the impressive canopy, providing us with a built-in audience. Hotel accommodations are literally at the doorstep and the pricing was very attractive. However, Las Vegas is not without its distractions. Specifically, to get to your room, you need an Air-Pak®. There is no place to erect our own Tent City and bunker gear cannot be strewn about, impeding the very narrow corridors for the foot traffic. We work diligently to keep the epoxy-coated surface dry and strategically place “Water Hog” mats to mitigate against the slip hazards.

We are also required to provide the casinos with unobstructed access to their bars and we cannot encroach on the entrances to the casinos. The nightly show takes a almost 10 minute bite out of every hour of competition since we have to shut down our operations while the VivaVision goes live. Getting course helpers is also a major challenge. And then, some people just don’t like the atmosphere.

Myrtle Beach, on the other hand is “family friendly” and far less intense. For a week, we owned a parking lot of some several hundred thousand square feet, thereby allowing lots of living rooms for the small army of day-campers. The infrastructure was the best ever with great assistance provided by Horry County, Myrtle Beach, the National Guard and the Civilian Emergency Response Team. Aside from the orientation of the tower (regrettably placed under heavy overcast), this perfectly flat venue provided a platform for tons of personal and new World Records.

The crowd distinguished themselves from the Las Vegas spectators in that these were people who were invested in the event. They stayed till the end. We had bleachers for nearly everyone. And to prove how dialed in the audience was, when Clayton County set the new World Record, they knew it before we could announce it. While some of you commented that this was just a “glorified Regional,” I would disagree. The vast majority of the respondents greatly preferred Myrtle Beach over Las Vegas.

When people complained about costs, they did not provide any details. I do know that lodging deals were very attractive. Airfare pricing might be what people are referencing. Since 48% of attendees drove (a new high), then the other half took an airplane. Getting way out ahead of the typical escalation of costs is the best way to mitigate the expense. Wherever we are going in 2011, we’re going to give you plenty of “heads-up” time to do some price shopping.

We recognize that we simply cannot satisfy everyone’s first place selection. Some of you will vote with your feet. If due to other factors beyond our individual or collective control your selection is not available, we apologize.

There are a lot of factors involved in selecting sites for hosting the World Challenge, the first being that the host actually wants you. In the context of all the acts in Las Vegas we are a very small event and hence, the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (CVB) does not provide any financial support. This is a very expensive event to put on. Myrtle Beach CVB and their partners collectively raised half of our operating costs.

Go to the head of line.

2010 Season Ends

2010-12-29T16:08:00.000-08:00

My New Year’s resolution is to provide timely content here on the Blogspot. For starters, I’m going to parse out some postings on the results of our on-line, post WCXIX Competitor Survey. We had an unprecedented 46% return rate- a statistic that validates the interest and enthusiasm of our athletes. Over 170 individuals took the time to write a message about what you liked and didn’t like. I’m going to divide my summary into the following categories. 1. Venues: Myrtle Beach vs. Las Vegas. 2. Site Specific accolades, improvements and suggestions 3) Protocols and Procedures (i.e., how we organize the competition and 4. Rule changes.

One down, 20-something to go...

2010-05-06T10:20:00.000-07:00

Season Kickoff and Update

Start System

In the minds of some, the new Christmas tree is a major change but a more careful inspection reveals little has changed. Contrary to what you may have believed, touching the High-Rise Pack was never allowed. The major difference now is that competitors no longer have to depress a pressure switch with their hands. Instead, you stand on the 3’ long pad. We’ve taken out the human element of the start. Every race starts the same way, to the same count. As soon as both competitors are on the pads, the computer automatically stages the race and the lights start the count down. Check out the video posted on our website for more details.

The 2010 Tour

Scheduling an event these days has been a challenge, to use a familiar word. This is a complicated process, made more complicated by the shortage of local sponsorship. In an ideal world, we’d have a national sponsor that would fill-in the void, supporting the shortfall for every venue. This would allow us to post a whole year’s schedule well in advance. Coordinating more than 30 active requests takes hundreds of telephone calls and almost 2,000 staff hours. So, until we can find a new national sponsor, we ask for your understanding and patience.

The Official Firefighter Combat Challenge Forum

We realize that we’ve not spent a lot of effort on our Forum, but this is going to change. Brandon Cunningham will monitor the Training category. Jackie Riedel is the staff liaison and will ensure that everyone’s questions are answered. It’s incredibly easy to use- one mouse click from the homepage. Create a user name/account and in a day, you can be posting. We’re very easy to contact- outside of the forum as well. We pride ourselves in being responsive- returning telephone calls or answering email as soon as possible.

Good To Go (G2G) Program

There’s more than one way to skin a cat, and we certainly wouldn’t warrant that there’s only one way to prepare for the Challenge. We want to make everyone’s first event a success. It’s amazing what a few hours of hands-on training, under the tutelage of the likes of a David Bowmen can do for your first attempt. In a perfect world, we’d prefer to see everyone do a Tandem first before attempting a solo run.

The Keiser

It’s an established fact that the coefficient of friction of the Keiser sled changes with temperature. For this reason, every effort is made to establish a N-S orientation to keep both sides of the course in the sun. Like every sport other than say- bowling and pool, weather is a factor- and I’ve written on this topic numerous times before. Over the winter, we explored the use of heating elements that would keep the tray at a constant temperature, or at least at some standards number of degrees above ambient when temperatures were below 70°F. What we learned is that 110v is not going to work because we’re an all-weather event and electrocution is not an option. So, we’re going to have to explore the use of 12v as an alternative. In the meantime, as a multi-season, outdoor event, the elements will be a factor. Sorry.

Rules & Protocols

We’ve been fielding a few phone calls about the boot rule. This is not a change- only in enforcement. Regrettably, we have been lax and will be no longer. With the addition of the Over 50 Relay category, Jostens will provide Championship Rings, but rings for the Tandems will be dropped to offset the costs.

2010 Is Upon Us!

2010-04-07T11:49:00.001-07:00

It was 20 years ago this month that the first ever Firefighter Combat Challenge was held at the University of Maryland’s Fire Rescue Institute in College Park. WTOP, the local CBS affiliate covered the event and the five municipalities that fielded teams. The winning time: 3:40!: posted by Lloyd Jackson of Prince William (VA) County. Just about everyone who participated has retired. Fire Chief magazine devoted a four page story and several full page color shots. The news piece was the springboard for DuPont to step up and fund our first national tour in 1992. FETN covered our World Challenge I the next year in Anaheim, CA, coincidental with the IAFC’s annual meeting. It’s sometime hard to believe what’s happened in the interim. All of the props from the first year would have easily fit into the back of a pickup truck. This season, we’re rolling out four towed trailers and a brand new drag-race style Christmas tree starting system. The fun goes on and on. New people and new places add to the pleasure of meeting some of the greatest people who walk on the face of this planet. Thanks for playing!

Have You Been Watching the Olympics?

2010-03-18T10:05:00.000-07:00

Originally, the Olympics were about the athletes. The ethos of sport- higher, faster, stronger was easily understood by all. However, the Olympics have lost some of their allure, as member nations are not unlike major sports franchises: athletes giving up citizenship for a berth on a foreign county’s team. The Olympics were supposed to be about the individual athletes, but that’s not going to pay the huge production cost, so countries like Greece go bankrupt to put on a show that they can ill-afford. Long ago, the hometown team was comprised of local guys who had roots in the community. Now, it’s about the highest bidder.

In a nation where sports figures assume near god-like stature, one has to reflect on what is really important. Millions of people badly in need of exercise watch athletes badly in need of rest. Salaries bear sad testimony to our inverted value system. In a perfect world, first grade teachers should be at the top of the pyramid. Or as Lee Iacocca said, “Only the best would be teachers and the rest would have to settle for something else.”

But whether it’s a visit to the Dallas Cowboys palace with Mark Gist or Disney World last week, there are lessons that can be learned and transferred to make the Firefighter Combat Challenge better and better. Many Olympians have trained intensely for four years to get their 12 seconds in the limelight. Listening to the NBC commentary, I was making the comparisons between these world-class athletes and our own FCC Competitors.

Some of this stuff is heart-wrenching. A single slip and it’s all down the tubes. Things that are outside your control. Skiing down the side of the mountain at 60+ mph and catching an edge; inconsistency in the ice; white-out conditions; blizzards, melting snow, broken Zamboni’s and so on and so forth. And it’s not just at the Olympics. How about NASCAR’s premier race the Daytona 500? Having to stop the race for more than two hours to round up all the Bondo® in the universe to fix a pothole on the course. That cost NASCAR 17 million Fox viewers and a lot of prestige.

Just about all of the sports that happen outdoors have weather-related issues. Track and field will negate any wind-aided records. In golf, if you play in the morning, the greens are wet. Rodeo is animal-dependent. We all know about the NFL and their “go in any condition” policy. Plus, the kicking game becomes very much a crap-shoot with winds aloft having a huge part in the outcome. And speaking of outcomes, what about a blown call changing the winning team- a factor that occurs with annoying regularity.

Baseball calls it quits as soon as it starts to rain, but again wind and temperature have a lot to do with what happens with the long fly balls. So, outside of bowling, curling, billiards and a few other hermetically-controlled indoor sports, weather, time of day, etc. are a part of sport. Even in drag racing, a pretty much, straight-ahead, reaction-time activity has their preferred lanes.

So what’s the take-away? We carry close to 200,000 pounds of stuff over 35,000 miles each year and set-up more than 20 times the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge with a consistency that sees a guy like Joe Horton come within seconds of his PR at each race. We strive mightily to tweak the rules to be unlike basketball; i.e., “keep the officials out of it.”

Weather, especially rain can impact traction. As a parking-lot based sport, we are held hostage to the surface that the host can provide. Sometimes, we’re square in the middle of downtown, between the curbs on Main Street. Or, under the $100M VivaVision on Fremont Street in Las Vegas. We walk a balancing act between providing the viewing public with a great show or sequestering ourselves to obscure locations with great traction. Difficult choices sometimes. We are well aware that the coefficient of friction of the thermoplastic gliders on the Keiser Forcible Entry Simulator, i.e., “the Slammer” changes with temperature. We are driven by our relentless pursuit for perfection in an imperfect world. In the grand scheme of sport, we run a pretty consistent and professional contest.

“Everyone’s a critic” is an epitaph that is frequently heard in all walks of life and certainly has applicability in sport as proven by the sports pages. There are a lot of gainfully employed reporters who make a pretty good living criticizing. But, we’re looking for solutions. Our search for perfection is not driven to make things easier; it’s to make them the same. The “level playing field“ is a reference that is based on sport and it’s a part of our mission.

Your dedication does not go unnoticed. Similarly, in fulfillment of our obligation, we invest thousands of dollars and man-hours to continually improve the platform. We just want to provide you with the stage that you deserve to showcase your talents to our stakeholders: the taxpayers who foot the bill for the best fire protection that we can provide. As the Olympics came to a conclusion, I couldn’t help but reflect on how so many of you train with the intensity of the world-class athletes that you are. I’m sorry that there are not million-dollar endorsements awaiting your successes. But I believe that there are great rewards that transcend the receipt of a medal. There are actual people walking around today that would not have been able to do so without your intervention. That’s something that you can live with.

FFCC.TV

2009-06-02T01:51:00.000-07:00

We have an incredibly visual sport. I’m not sure that I fully appreciated how visual until picking up a video camera this year and attempting to create video shorts from each event. We need more cameras to capture all the action. This has been a lot of fun putting these clips together for these first four events. I marvel at the technology that allows you to do on a laptop computer what used to take a $250k editing suite. We’re employing some very talented videographers and will continue to improve the quality and interest of each of the postings. We’re spending a lot of effort on this project because we believe that there’s an audience for what you do. Speaking of which, the opening remarks by Chief Rich Collins of the Osceola County Fire Department were the most inspiring ever. He’s now on YouTube and will be incorporated into our newly launched TV website: FFCC.TV. Everyone needs to hear Chief Collins and we’ll do our part.

Our next step is to begin the daunting task of capturing and cataloging all of the Firefighter Combat Challenge video at one location. We invite all of you very creative amateur video producers to put a short feature together and bring it to the rest of the Challenge competitors. Watch the Hot News for details on how you can add value to our sport.

Part 1: Firefighter Combat Challenge and TV

2009-02-02T14:42:00.001-08:00

Part 1: Firefighter Combat Challenge and TV

In 1992, at our inaugural championship, FETN did a 30-minute special feature that was distributed to their satellite customers. In 1993 we were on ESPN and stayed there for 10 years with a one-hour show. For a variety of reasons discussed below, our show was not renewed and we have subsequently moved to Versus.

The purpose of this article is to provide the reader with an overview of how television works, how we fit into the equation and what are our plans for the future. As always, every Challenge competitor is solicited for his or her opinion and suggestions on how we can grow the sport. So, here goes.

TV comes in two flavors; network and cable/satellite. Advertisers pay for production costs and content is freely distributed with the hope that viewers will purchase their product. With cable, the subscriber pays for content with some channels also subsidized by commercials.

Sport on TV is an interesting model. Because some sports are so attractive to the masses, sponsors will provide lots of money to associate their product with those qualities that we hold so dear- strength, speed, etc. Professional sports attract varying levels of paid attendance. The rights-holders (team owners) can command large sums of money to control access to their events. They do this through ticket sales as well as broadcast rights. The Firefighter Combat Challenge does not have sufficient general, or even special market appeal to command a gate (the money you pay to get in). Until we are able to demand that people pay to see our act, we’re going to be severely limited in what we can do on TV.

Academic sports as differentiated from professional sports are actually the farm system for the majors; ergo they command a gate. Minor sports (wrestling, track, etc.) are able to sometimes collect a fee if sufficient friends and relatives come to watch the event and are held hostage. This simply analogy to other organized sports and the Firefighter Combat Challenge should help your understanding as to where we are when it comes to bargaining for visibility in an already cluttered field of entertainment. Said another way, while our Challenge competitors may have the fitness of world-class athletes, there are insufficient numbers of people in the general market to command an entrance fee.

If you saw the first Firefighter Combat Challenge appearance on ESPN, I doubt that you would have been impressed. We’d like to think that we’ve come a long way. But, the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge is not in a category where the viewing public will pay to attend or even pay to watch it on VOD. So how can we change that? Well, as always, we’re open to your thoughts on what you think that the masses- not your family or friends would like to see. Keep in mind, TV is about audience appeal, and audiences vote with the remote at the speed of light. Don’t like this program?, no problem, there are hundreds of others to surf through.

The Tandem Revisited

2009-01-14T10:31:00.000-08:00

Before we start the 2009, now is a good time to revisit our Tandem program. Clearly, there’s a lot of traction as evidenced by the huge increase in numbers this past year. The Tandem was Jay Staeden’s creation. He posited the concept on one of our morning runs. We dropped the double run for a couple of reasons, the first being the amount of time it takes for a double run.

We strongly urge all new players to use the Tandem as their entrée to the Challenge. It’s a good way to get a gauge of where you are before alternatively making a fool of yourself, or getting in too deep. With what appears to be a need to get more women engaged, the tandem eliminates the problems of rounding up entire team. In fact, we can find a partner, much as a pick-up round of golf, if you don’t already have some one to partner with. Cory, Mike, Bill, Chuck, Jeannie have all had great comments and I invite their posting here.

Register through Google with a legitimate user name. Courteous exchanges are the norm here.

The first proposal, which has already been eclipsed by some of the CAB member suggestions was to break the Dummy Drag in half. So, have at it.

On Sportsmanship

2008-11-20T07:37:00.000-08:00

When was the last time that this happened: A base runner in MLB being called out at first base, then arguing with the umpire, expecting that the ump would say, “You know, I believe that you’ve convinced me of the error of my ways; I’m going change my mind and call you safe.”

Why would you expect any different outcome at the Firefighter Combat Challenge? I’m amazed on those rare occasions when a competitor commits a foul and then attempts to make a federal case out of it.

Sportsmanship, the class act of winning and losing graciously is very much in evidence at the Challenge. In fact, spectators new to our sport are amazed at the professionalism as well as the respect with which opponents are treated. It is not unusual to observe the outcome of a very close relay race and be unable to tell who won as a consequence of not looking at the clock. The euphoria of a close race, the exuberance of the athletes as they congratulate each other is what I like very much about our sport.

But, we do have from time to time our hotheads. Throwing protective equipment such as a helmet is not a cool thing. Like it or not, firefighters are role models and should always accord themselves as such. Back in the 70’s I worked for the Washington Redskins when George Allen was the head coach. He was a stickler for treating helmets with respect. Throwing, kicking or sitting on helmets was a forbidden practice and would result in a fine.

We expect this same level of respect at the Challenge. We ask that you resist the temptation to display your anger by spiking the dummy. By this we mean anything other than allowing Rescue Randy to simply slide out of your grip and onto the matt. The act of lifting and slamming is prohibited and will result in a penalty, or if flagrant, disqualification. Not only does this harm a very expensive prop, but you would never do this to a victim. Think of how you look to the public when you put on such a spectacle. We know that reading this right now, you’d never think of committing such an act. If you have a beef, there’s a right way to deal with it- respectfully. But judgment calls are not subject to debate. =

Kicking off Season 2008

2008-05-04T21:33:00.000-07:00

Getting ready for this season has been particularly difficult. Normally we have another 7 plus weeks to get ready. Our purchase of the newest addition to our fleet, the Kenworth/Dorsey took far longer than I thought. Ultimately, we barely had a week to take delivery in Bakersfield, drive it to Fresno for some last minute arrangements then head to Real Wheels in Gurnee for their finishing touches. Then off to D.C. for a kickoff on the US Mall on the 2nd of April. This is after returning from 3 weeks in New Zealand where the 2nd National Firefighter Combat Challenge Championship was held in Nelson. That will be the subject of another Blog entry. The D.C. event was made more tenuous because we could not have access to the site until well past noon on the 1st. This was an incredible effort, made possible by the dedication of John Tillett, Chuck DeGrandpre, Tim Roberson, Shane Farmer, Brent Davis, Matt Haire, Brittany Davis, Daniel Pace, Jay Staeden, Clint Lamb, Rich Klimm, Rex Nimrod and Andy from Knoxville Squad 7. The retrograde was likewise a very difficult task with an expectation to vacate 4th Street by 5PM. We almost made it. But, the effort was clearly worth it. The Tug-o-War between the United States and the United Kingdom was spectacular. More on this as well.

From Chief Monte Fitch (ret)

2008-02-25T05:09:00.000-08:00

Thank you Paul for your kind remarks towards my participation in then, the most advanced controlled physical challenge to the firefighters in the 1970's. Most understood the stress, physical exertion, overheating of the body, climate changes from warm bed to cold task of the tillerman on a snowy night, or from the A/C'ed station out into the humid hot summer heat to respond to an incident.

Heart attacks were accepted as part of the JOB.
You undertook a challenge to ask firefighters to try to do in a competitive / testing manner what they could possibly do most any day on the JOB and in some busy departments several times a day. The difference in your challenge they were being watched, timed, and evaluated on their work day skills.

You took this challenge in a time when smoking was a norm, diet consisted of SOS, bacon, eggs, hash browns for breakfast while they planned dinner that usually consisted of meat, potatoes, pasta, gravy, bread and a rich desert. In between we sometimes had time to have lunch.

As you mentioned physical fitness was almost unheard of and certainly not a part of the daily routine as it is today. Fitness also brought about healthy eating changes.

As I have mentioned in conversation, I truly feel that your work to develop the Combat Challenge while promoting physical fitness has given the firefighter a better chance to survive the hazards of the JOB. Your persistence in the face of many, including the IAFF who dismissed fitness of firefighters and the combat challenge was a waste of time. Yet you continued and are to be commended for your successful efforts.

It has taken many years, but through the spirit of "friendly competition" the Firefighter Combat Challenge became recognized as an event to participate in and to be proud of being one of those who bettered their time in the challenge.

As time passed and your dream and goal became reality to the fire service everywhere, the challenge has now become a standard to meet in order to be hired as a firefighter. It gave a new meaning to who can and should do the JOB. I still believe that if a person is unable to meet your standard we should question whether they should be on the JOB, because we all know after time if not challenged we lose our ability to do the "JOB" over the years then we becomes susceptible to injury and heart disease and less capable of helping our fellow firefighter when challenged in the heat of the battle.

I remember the first competition and subsequent events that I participated in like it was yesterday. I remember after the first competition at the U of MD and coming back and talking to Captain Richard Foster, our boss then, and telling him what we had to do. He came to the track at Sherwood High School and ran along with us and he says he remembers how tough it was to run the mile and half. From that day on and today after retirement he runs and exercises to keep in shape. Your work inspired many to become better at their JOB in a new area of fitness, just like we studied Building Codes from Brannigan or Fire Administration from Chief Gratz.

Thank you for your dedication, persistence and courage to make the fire service a safer and healthier place to work.
It gave many more a chance to come home to their families at the end of their shift.

Thanks for the chance to review your new Blog.
Monte

The Origin of the Firefighter Combat Challenge

2008-02-17T12:56:00.000-08:00

The Firefighter Combat Challenge was born the day in 1974 that Chief David B. Gratz and Dr. Leonard Marks walked into the Human Performance Laboratory of the Sports Medicine Center at the University of Maryland. Chief Gratz, the Director of Fire/Rescue Services for Montgomery County (MD) wanted to know if it was, as he characterized it, “possible to measure what it took for a firefighter to climb a ladder and chop a hole in the roof.” Present on that auspicious occasion were Drs. Dotson, Santa Maria and Davis, faculty members of the Physical Education Department (the precursor to what would evolve to be the School of Public Health, Department of Kinesiology).

It would take the better part of a year to push the paperwork through the newly created US Fire Prevention and Control Administration (under the Department of Commerce). With the assistance of US Senator J. Glenn Beall, Jr., the University would receive a federal grant totally $87,216. A first of a kind, cooperative study sponsored by the Washington, DC Area Council of Governments (COG) included firefighters from the following political jurisdictions: D.C., Alexandria, Prince George’s, Montgomery, Arlington, and Fairfax. One-hundred randomly selected firefighters would undergo physiological testing for measures of muscular strength, endurance, power and aerobic fitness and body composition. Then they would take part in a simulation of structural fire suppression tasks: five sequentially performed evolutions- the precursor to the Firefighter Combat Challenge. A standpipe hose carry to the fifth floor, a hose hoist, a simulated dummy drag/rescue, a chopping simulation and a hose advance comprised the test battery.

Staggering the University researchers minds was the fact that approximately 15% of the firefighters who participated in the study were incapable of carrying the hose up the five flights of stairs. Fortunately, there were no cardiac events, having previously screened all of the participants on EKG treadmills tests in the lab (thereby eliminated several).

Not surprisingly, the data showed significant differences in the performance times and physiological responses to the tasks. The more fit firefighters completed the evolutions in half the time of the less fit. While all of this seems to be perfectly predictable, keep in mind that in 1975 & 76 the mindset of the fire service was in some circles, very much opposed to the idea of physical fitness. Fully 30% of the study sample were adjudged as being physically incapable of performing some of the most rudimentary tasks.

One most interesting side note to the study was that of Monte Finch, then a firefighter from Montgomery County, Monte posted one of the fastest times on the course: a blistering 4:15. Now, keep in mind that our instructions were to pace yourself, and perform the tasks as you would at the scene of a fire. The competitive nature of the outstanding firefighters would be lost on me for some years as you’ll see below.

In fact, the pervasive attitude was the working out could kill you. Such authoritative journals as Playboy ran stories about people dying after running or pushing weights. The level of ignorance was staggering. Many IAFF locals at the time took a firm stance of being opposed to the idea of being tested to see if they could perform their job, or working out to improve performance. The attitude was very much like “this is the way that God made me; there’s nothing you can do to change it.”

Our ground-breaking research was published in a number of trade and scientific journals, including a technical report by the US Government Printing Office. The idea that you could identify fitness dimensions that were predictive of job performance began to take hold. It would be 15 years before the concept of the Firefighter Combat Challenge would be born, again through another COG initiative, only this time as a friendly, spirited competition- and again held at the University of Maryland’s Fire-Rescue Institute (MFRI).

Monte Finch, now a battalion chief would come back some 15 years later, and post a time equal to his original. In fact, when Montgomery County would form their Combat Challenge Team, Chief Finch, the original coach would find himself on the team, beating out his son.

Thirty-three years later, I encounter from time-to-time firefighters who participated in the original study. Of course, virtually all of them are retired. And probably several are deceased. But it’s always a pleasure to have someone come up to me and say, “I was a guinea pig in your original research study.”

We’re into our second generation of Firefighter Combat Challenge competitors. We continue to have fathers racing their sons, or participating on the same team. Fitness has been determined to be the single most important part of survival. We talk constantly about “everyone goes home.” And certainly while that’s highly critical, I can’t help but notice that there’s a significant number of firefighters who should stay home. We’ll talk about this delicate subject in a future Blog.

Kick Off

2008-02-15T02:35:00.000-08:00

As the amount of information about the Firefighter Combat Challenge grows, it’s appropriate that there be an authoritative source of accurate information on the Internet. Since first bursting on the scene some 18 years ago, the Firefighter Combat Challenge has attracted upwards of 20,000 firefighters. This Blog will attempt to respond to inquiries, provide new insights and interact with interested fans, competitors and others.

Friday, February 15, 2008

Paul O. Davis, Ph.D.