THESE reigning champions will be put to the test when the Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) State Championships come to Bathurst on Thursday.
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This crew of four have worked together for more than a decade and what they don’t know about firefighting drills isn’t worth knowing.
More than 200 firefighters from across NSW and Victoria will converge in Bathurst to compete in the championships, which are held every second year.
The Kelso FRNSW crew won the last championships, in 2012, and they are hoping Bathurstians will cheer them on to success this week.
Three days of events will kick off on Thursday at Learmonth Park, off Gilmour Street, and members of the public are welcome to view all sessions.
Firefighters will compete in 15 events, including rope skills, steel-cutting, ladders and high-rise firefighting techniques.
“Events use the current equipment and firefighters are tested at speed in timed events,” Kelso captain Graham Gibbons said.
“It’s honing your skills, getting techniques right; you get better and faster.”
Thirty teams from two states will be competing.
“We know there’s some strong competition in Dorrigo, Echuca, Tamworth and Melbourne Metro-politan Fire Service – they’re the current Australian champions,” captain Gibbons said.
But the Kelso brigade is no stranger to winning – Kelso have won the state championships three times, come runner-up twice, and won the Australian Championship twice.
“We’ve got a good, experienced team and we’ve been together 12 or 13 years now. We know what we’re doing and we do a lot of training,” captain Gibbons said.
The skills events will run from 8am to 4pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Learmonth Park (off Gilmour Street)
A torchlight procession will be held on Friday from 7.30pm, involving all firefighters, historic fire engines from the Museum of Fire in Penrith, and the Scots School marching band.
The procession will start at William Street, move into Howick Street and finish at Carrington Park, where a firefighter challenge will be held for local sporting clubs. Fireworks will be held at 8.30pm.
The Fire and Rescue NSW Band and Precision Drill Marching Team will perform in Russell Street, near Kings Parade, between 1pm and 3pm on Saturday.
