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Maxwell fire fighters compete in 2015 World Scott Fire Fighter Combat Challenge

  • Published
  • By By Airman 1st Class Alexa Culbert
  • 42nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs
MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. --  





Fire fighters from Maxwell competed in their first 2015 World Scott Fire Fighter Combat Challenge Oct. 21, 2015, in Montgomery, Alabama. 

The annual competition attracts hundreds of international fire fighters who come together to perform five grueling tasks while wearing approximately 50 pounds of gear. It is dubbed as the toughest two minutes in sports.

The tasks include climbing a five-story tower, hoisting hose, chopping, dragging hoses and carrying a 175 pound training dummy. These simulate real life tasks that would be accomplished on the job.

The Maxwell fire department sent out three of their fire fighters to compete in this year's competition.

SrA Scott Weeks, Maxwell fire fighter, participated in two of the competitions previously while stationed at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany and began training when he heard the competition was coming to Montgomery.

"I came here not knowing there was a team; I just wanted to do it on my own. I met two guys that saw me training...then they started coming out to train with me," said Weeks.

The training began with rigorous workouts consisting mostly of cardio and a particular workout named the hour of the tower, which was a full hour of climbing the 5-story tower.

"If you want to participate, you have to work hard, train hard and get ready," said Jay Brown, Maxwell fire fighter.

Over the course of 4 months, the team built more than muscle, they also strengthened ties.

"We were co-workers, we were fire fighters, but now we are a team," said Brown.

During the week of the competition, downtown Montgomery was packed with fire fighters from 25 different locations around the world with one single objective, complete the course faster than their opponent.

Weeks participated in the individual challenge and then again during the relay challenge with his teammates.

The Maxwell fire fighters received their first taste of the competition and are excited to be put to the test once again in the years to come.