The Servpro Firefighter Challenge League Northeast Region Challenge is less than a month away.


This event is returning to Erie for the first time in twenty years and fire fighters have been busy preparing.

Even on days off, Erie firefighters are busy training, not to fight fires, but for the firefighters challenge.


Terry Sedney, a City of Erie firefighter with Engine 13 said, "It's like and obstacle course simulating real life things that we would do as fire fighters. There's stair climb, the hose drag. We have a 165 pound rescue randy dummy that we have to drag 165 feet, so different things that are related to our actual job."


All firefighters from junior to retired ones from around the world are invited to participate. Training is key for those looking to compete.


Bruce Eicher, a retired firefighter has competed since 2004 and has won the world championship and said, "Training is very important. You couldn't possibly do this at a high level without constant training, and it's not just one thing, you have lower body and upper body. These guys are carrying an additional 50-60 pounds with them as they are climbing the stairs and hoisting the hose and coming back down and running through the cones and dragging the hose and hitting the target and coming back."


Every Saturday, members of the Erie fire department have been busy preparing. One of the challenges includes going up several flights of stairs in full gear while carrying a hose.


Long-time competitors said the goal is to complete it as fast as they can, around two minutes or less and these obstacles replicate real-life scenarios that fire fighters face. "When the elevators are down you have to go up the stairs and you are carrying your hoses and your tanks and whatever you need and your tools with you so that's just as important. The run back downstairs is just what it is. The hoist is also important because a lot of times you are on the roof and they are pulling saws or axes or whatever tool they may need. They keyser is more of a forcible entry type exercise. You are going to use the ax and put it through a roof or wall or whatever. Carrying a body is not a fun experience, but it's very difficult", described Eicher.


Although, mostly designed for firefighters, a few sponsors do have teams participating.

The event is set for August 21-23 in Perry Square. Snaptite is one of the sponsors hosting it.