The role of a firefighter is physically demanding.

The first few minutes of an emergency can be particularly arduous for any responding firefighters as initial actions need to be completed quickly and efficiently to minimise damage to property and to maximise the chance of saving a life. These actions can involve rescuing people in danger, carrying heavy equipment and deploying bulky hose to allow water to reach the fire and stop the spread of flames. For this reason, a national standard is used to ensure that firefighters have the physical fitness to perform these tasks.

For the first time ever, at the UKRO Festival of Rescue, both frontline firefighters, and support staff from fire services across the United Kingdom, will compete to see who is the fittest in the Firefighter Fitness Challenge!

Competitors have been sorted into age categories and will be challenged in a task focused race, based on the national standards for firefighter fitness, to see who can complete the tasks in time. The challenge will mimic the initial actions of a firefighter arriving at a scene including, carrying a 25kg bar for 200m, dragging hose reel, rescuing a casualty, carrying hose, and deploying it before ending their race in a sprint to the finish!