Fredericton Fire Department wins national competition, a first for the team

Running, climbing stairs, hoisting hoses, saving lives — all in a day's work for a firefighter. But even on their off time, some firefighters enjoy putting those skills to the test.

That's why they compete at the Canadian FireFit Championships, held in Spruce Meadows, Alta., this month. 

Anthony Storey of the Fredericton Fire Department's four-person team remembers how nervous he felt as he waited for his shot at this year's event, held the week of Sept. 7.

He was the last to compete that day, and he said the tension rose as he realized he had to beat 1:17 in order for his team to take home the first place trophy. Storey's personal best was 1:19.

Everyone kept telling him, "Go out there and do your best," Storey recalled. 

When he crossed the finish line, a teammate came running up to tell him he had the fastest time anyone from the Fredericton team had ever achieved. At 1:16, Storey helped win the competition, beating Edmonton's team by one second. 

This was Fredericton's first time taking a podium spot in the championships, let alone coming in first, said Storey. 

"It was probably one of the more exciting feelings in my life, honestly, finding out that we had beaten them and gotten the national championship for such a small department," he said.

Not only did Storey contribute to his team's top times, but he also came second overall for individual open male competitors. The team also took home rookie of the year, going to Mike Filer. 

The Fredericton Fire Department has been competing in FireFit competitions since the 1990s, according to Steven Magnus, who works for the fire prevention division. 

He's been competing since 2012 and calls the competition "a job-related way that you can be an athlete."

"There's a lot of