Firefighter Challenge®: Kicking off Season 2008

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Kicking off Season 2008

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.

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Dr. Paul O. Davis, Ph.D., FACSM

Dr. Paul earned his doctoral degree from the University of Maryland, School of Public Health, Department of Kinesiology where he placed major emphasis on the study of occupational fitness requirements and the quantification of work physiology. His dissertation on the energy costs and oxygen/lactate kinetics of structural firefighting was the first published study of its kind.

He has consulted for a number of law enforcement

organizations, including the NYPD, DEA, US Secret Service, Pennsylvania State Police, US Marshals Service, IACP and the FBI. Projects of note have included the development of job-related physical performance and medical standards for a number of law enforcement agencies. Dr. Davis has also conducted in-depth studies of the requirements for SWAT, K-9, and industrial security positions. Most recently under contract to FOH (Federal Occupational Health) he designed the entry and graduation criteria for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), IEAs (Immigration Enforcement Agents); the largest-ever hiring initiative (n=5,000). In another FOH contract he was part of an elite team tasked with a year-long embed study in the Southwest for the US Border Patrol to mitigate workers comp injuries.

As a consultant to the US Navy, he validated the Marine Corps’ PT test through a comprehensive JTA (job task

analysis) of essential functions in amphibious, jungle, desert and high altitude, cold weather operations.

An internationally recognized authority on the subject of

fitness standards and equal employment opportunity issues, Dr. Davis has participated in over 70 legal proceedings as an expert witness. In the seminal Lanning v SEPTA case, he won the accolades of the presiding federal judge as “the

preeminent expert on physical performance standards.” He has appeared on behalf of such organizations as the U.S. Department of Justice, OSHA, Equal Employment

Opportunity Commission, and the FBI, as well as many other state and local governments. He has also testified before the House Select Committee on Aging regarding performance-based health and fitness assessment and submitted invited testimony on Women in Ground Combat for the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Dr. Davis is a member and fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and holds that organization’s highest level of certification. He has authored over 200 technical reports, manuals, articles and most recently co-authored with Dr. Bryan Sharkey the book: Hard Work, dealing with his research on the relationship between human physical performance factors and health.

His professional accomplishments were recognized with a Governor’s Citation for the State of Maryland. He is a inductee of the Fire Heritage Hall of Leaders, Legends and Legacies.Consistent with his lifelong commitment to promoting first responder health, fitness, and readiness, Dr. Davis is well known for creating unique public safety competitions including: the Firefighter Combat Challenge® (now in its 32nd season), the L.E.O.P.A.R.D. (Law Enforcement Officer Performance and

Reaction Drill), the World SWAT Challenge, the Army's Best Ranger Competition and the newly recreated Military Battle Challenge®. Throughout the years, these programs have

received very wide televised coverage on the ESPN, Discovery, A&E, CBS, NBC and ABC television networks and, as the creator and expert commentator, Dr. Davis provides color

commentary.