SAN DIEGO (January 16, 2024) – The California Police Athletic Federation (CPAF), a non-profit organization committed to promoting sport and physical fitness among first responders, is excited to announce the debut of Ultimate Firefighter at the 2024 US Police & Fire Championships (USPFC) taking place June 8 – 15 in San Diego. This is the first time that the Ultimate Firefighter competition will be offered at the USPFC and is part of CPAF’s goal to offer more fire-specific events to the new demographic of first responders, volunteer and parttime firefighters, who were included in the recent expansion of eligibility requirements.
“We are thrilled to introduce the Ultimate Firefighter competition to our 2024 games in San Diego,” said Jim King, Vice President of the California Police Athletic Federation. “Although Ultimate Firefighter has been hosted at the World Police & Fire Games for decades, we are excited to grow the opportunities and events available to our dedicated athletes at the US Police & Fire Championships. In past years, we have hosted events that catered to law enforcement officials, so we are happy to debut this remarkable competition for our active, retired and volunteer firefighters from across the nation.”
Ultimate Firefighter is comprised of 4 consecutive stages including a Hose Task, Weight and Strength, Obstacle Course and High Rise. The competition will allow fire personnel to showcase their skills through a series of physical and mental challenges that mimic real-life firefighting situations. Competing athletes will not only hone in on their firefighting skills and technique but will improve their physical fitness and enhance their problem-solving abilities.
Founded in 1967, CPAF has historically hosted Olympic-style games to promote physical fitness and camaraderie among members of predominantly the police community, offering events such as Police Action Pistol and Toughest Cop Alive (TCA) that catered to law enforcement. Now, CPAF strives to welcome in more members of the firefighter community after expanding eligibility to volunteer and part time firefighters in 2023 and through the debut of Ultimate Firefighter. Ultimate Firefighter has received tremendous support and success at the World Police & Fire Games for the last decade and CPAF is excited to introduce the competition at the 2024 USPFC.
This year’s USPFC will take place from Saturday, June 8 to Saturday, June 15 in San Diego and feature athletes competing in over 35 sports across 30 venues in the greater San Diego County. The brand-new Ultimate Firefighter portion of the games will take place on Saturday, June 8 at the Heartland Fire Training Facility located at 1301 N. Marshall Ave, El Cajon, CA 92020. Stages of the competition are as follows:
STAGE 1: Hose Task
Competitors will run to two separate 150-foot lengths of 2 ½ inch hose, shouldering each and dragging them to full extension, dragging the couplings across a designated line. Then, they will run to two separate unrolled hose lines and roll each line, carrying each tightly rolled hose to a designated finish line.
STAGE 2: Weight and Strength
Competitors will carry a 24’ ground ladder and correctly place it against a wall and raise/extend it. Then, they will carry a hotel high-rise pack of attack line while ascending the 4-story tower and place it in a designated box at the top of the tower. From the top landing, they will raise a hose roll attached to a rope and place it in the designated box. Lastly, competitors will descend the stairs to the base of the tower, grab a master stream nozzle and axe, and run to the finish area where they will attach the nozzle to an appliance and wedge the axe into a block of wood.
STAGE 3: Obstacle Course
Competitors will complete an obstacle course where they will drive the Keiser FORCE machine, navigate a series of cones, and then complete a dummy-drag with a rescue manikin.
STAGE 4: High Rise
Competitors will ascend the 4-story tower twice, first carrying a hotel high high-rise pack and second carrying a chain saw. Once the competitors descend the tower and cross the finish line, the timer will stop the clock.
The combined time of all four stages of the competition will tally to the final score. The event is open to active, retired and volunteer personnel from eligible agencies and athletes can compete in both individual and team style competitions.
The US Police & Fire Championships are one of four events that the California Police Athletic Federation presents in addition to the bi-annual World Police & Fire Games, the First Responders Relay and the North American Fall Classic, which debuted in November 2023. These games provide a welcome connection between public safety personnel from varied backgrounds and cultures and offer the opportunity to develop camaraderie and celebrate the human spirit at its very best.
Registration for participation in the US Police & Fire Championships begins January 15. To sign up, click here. To learn more about the California Police Athletic Federation and its games, please visit www.cpaf.org
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About the California Police Athletic Federation
The California Police Athletic Federation (CPAF), a non-profit organization established in 1970, is the governing body for the United States Police & Fire Championships, the World Police & Fire Games, and the NEW First Responders Relay. The mission of CPAF is to promote sport and physical fitness among personnel representing law enforcement, fire, corrections, probation, border protection, immigration, and customs. For more information, please visit www.cpaf.org
