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2. Recognition of Fire Dept Combat Challenge Team.I MEMORANDUM CITY OF - CHANHASSEN 690 COULTER DRIVE • P.O. BOX 147 • CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317 (612) 937 -1900 • FAX (612) 937 -5739 TO: Mayor & City Council Don Ashworth, City Manager FROM: Scott Harr, Public Safety Director DATE: January 26, 1996 SUBJ: Chanhassen Department Firefighter Combat Challenge Team Action by City Administrator Endo rs�d ---- - 610.,..L Rejected Date Date Submitted to Commisslort Date S77tted to Council At the February 12 City Council meeting, I would like to introduce the following members of our Fire Department that make up our Firefighter Combat Challenge Team: JOHN MURPHY SCOTT ANDING GREG HAYES JOHN WOLFF JOE BRENNAN I would also like to recognize Chic Anding, Manager of the Combat Challenge Team, who, along with his son and daughter, are also members of our Fire Department. I will also be showing a very brief video of Chanhassen Firefighter Joe Brennan in competition (Joe finished 8th in the nation). This group has done an extraordinary amount in promoting positive attitudes within the Fire Department, encouraging fitness, and making the Chanhassen Fire Department something we can be very proud of. SH:cd I g:\safety\sh\fcct A combat challenge Fire department recei By Kathy Nelson The five members on the Chanhassen Fire Department Fire Fighter Combat Challenge team are already preparing for next year's regional competi- tions. The team got special recognition for being one of two volunteer fire - fighting teams at the international competition. They brought home a plaque for an "Outstanding Performance by a Volunteer Fire Department in the Challenge IV World Championship ves special recognition Jan. 5 -7, 1996." Still, the fire fighters are looking for ways to better their times and prepare themselves physically. Scott Anding, Joe Brennan. Greg Hayes, John Murphy, and Captain John Wolff, the local Combat Challenge team, recently returned from the interna- tional competition in Tampa Bay, Fla., which was Jan. 6 and 7. The Fire Fighter Combat Challenge is a CHALLENGE to page 11 All I ISEKS OF THE CHANHASSEN Fire Department Fire Fighter Combat Challenge team that recently competed nationally in Tampa Bay, Fla., from left to right, are John Murphy, Joe Brennan, Scott Anding, Greg Hayes, and Captain John Wolff. Back row, from left to right, are supporters Bob i`loore, Chief Jim McMahon, Mayor Don Chmiel, and Dick Wing. (Staff photo by Kathy Nelson) Challengecontinued from front competition created to encourage departments across the country to develop an emphasis on fitness. The competition consists of five different events which simulate actions needed in a structural fire. The events are a stair climb, hose hoist, forcible entry, hose advance, and victim rescue, all done in full turn-out gear. All team members are timed and the three lowest scores are com- bined for the team time. The teams who scored under eight minutes in a regional competition qualified for the International Combat Challenge in Tampa. At the Tampa competition, the team, the only one from Minnesota, finished with a time of 7:37. The team finished about 40th out of 73 teams. Murray City, Utah, took the championship with a time of 6:10. Miami's team was second with 6:18 and Casper, Wyo., came in third with a time of 6:20. But, as Wolff noted, the Chan- hassen team came in second among the volunteer departments at the event. All team members felt they did fairly well. They had their best team time and Murphy had his best personal time. Anding, who was penalized for falling and dropping the dummy in the victim rescue, also beat his personal best time. Brennan', and Wolff were penalized for running and Hayes dropped the dummy, but he still beat his old personal best. "I didn't feel intimidated, but I was nervous about being at nation- als," Brennan said. Murphy added that their department "look small" compared to the other departments. There were many medium -sized departments at the competition, along with larger ones from places like New York City, Miami, Thursday, January 25, 1996 — Chanhassen Villager — Page 11 Anchorage, Houston, and Los Angeles County. A lot of Canadian teams and even an Australian team competed in the event. Extra work Besides taking part in regional . competitions last year, the Chal- lenge team members have been training throughout the last 13 to 14 months. In the months leading up,ths Tampa Bay competition, Wolff estimated that the team "worked out an average of between eight and 12 hours a week on Combat Challenge events. All the workout time was done outside their regular fire fighting.duties. The expenses for the trip were also outside the budget for the city. i So, team members-solicited dona- tions,from businesses and organiza- tions in the area to help witfr their equipment and tru el. - Sunsorship was received from the American Legion Post 580, - CNS- Breathe Right, McDonalds of Chanhassen, Instant Web, Pillsbury Company, Excelsior Fire Depart- ment, Roberts Automatic Products, Byerly's, Lyman Lumber, Minneton- ka Fire Department, Chanhassen Fire Department and the city of Chanhassen. Both Hayes and Brennan stayed in Florida longer to participate in classes to become certified fitness cobi dinato`is. They attended classes in a variety of areas, including aerobics, fitness, and nutrition. Wolff said that their expertise will be added to the existing general fitness program for the Chan Fire Department. "This team has a lot of poten- tial," Wolff said. Murphy added: "We started training the day after we got back."