The Toronto Fire Combat Challenge Team...Continued from page 19
however, we are practicing and training job-specific skills. We are fire fighters after all, aren’t we? The Challenge has been run since 1994 by Firefit Canada, which currently organizes and runs regional events across the country, as well as a National Championship. Toronto Fire has been represented at competitions since amalgamation and prior to that, the former cities of Toronto, North York and Scarborough all competed. The 2011 season saw more than 600 competitors, representing over 150 departments from across Canada, the United States, Bahrain, Dubai and Kuwait. The American equivalent, run by OnTarget, hosts regional events, as well as a National and World Championship. Toronto Fire has an accomplished history in the Challenge, from the glory days of Arno Toms and Mark Daniels, two former standout Toronto competitors who have both been inducted into the Firefit Hall of Fame for their exploits in the Challenge, to the present time. Toronto has hosted a National Championship and numerous events, coupled with being ’97 and ’98 consecutive National Champions. Current team members Danielle Comolli and Charles McGregor, as well as many past team members, belong to the American “Lion’s Den”, an exclusive club for competitors who have excelled on the American course. The fire fighters who represent TFS on the current Toronto Fire Combat Challenge team include Toronto fire fighters from all commands, with varying years of job experience. Our youngest team members have only a few years on the job and our most experienced team members are acting District Chiefs with 30+ years of job experience. Our team currently consists of twelve members and competes in several categories, including female team, male team, and an over-40 team. The 2011 season was very successful for Toronto Fire and saw team members bring home a total of 14 medals. Warren Moore placed first in two regional events and third in one in the over-40 category. Danielle Comolli
Team Records Best Open Time
Bill Leontaritis
Nationals Quinte West 2008
1:31.88
Best Women’s Time
Danielle Comolli
Nationals Brampton 2010
2:08.28
Best Over 40 Time
Charles McGregor
S. Ont. Regional Windsor 2007
1:36.96
Best Over 45 Time
Charles McGregor
S. Ont. Regional Brantford 2010
1:39.86
Best Over 50 Time
Robert Mcnamara
Nationals Quinte West 2008
1:57.64
Best Men’s Team Time
B. Leontaritis P. Andrews M. Ruffo
Nationals Quinte West 2008
4:47.66
Best Men’s Relay Time
B. Leontaritis M. Ruffo S. Dessa A. Robinson W. Moore
Cobourg 2008
1:13.56
Best Women’s Team Time
D. Comolli R. Lancashire J. Clermont
Nationals Brampton 2010
7:49.62
Best Women’s Relay Time
D. Comolli R. Lancashire J. Clermont
Nationals Brampton 2010
1:57.64
placed first in two regional events in the female category. Ruth Lancashire placed third in one regional event in the female category. Charles McGregor placed second in two regional events in the over-45 category. Dave Strauss placed second in both a Canadian event and an American event. Our women’s relay team placed first in their only regional event. The team was represented by five individuals in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, at the Fire Fighter Combat Challenge World Championships and brought home three medals: Gold for Dave Strauss, competing with the Canadian Firehall Fogies in the over-50 relay team; Silver for Danielle Comolli, Chrissy Conti, and Ruth Lancashire competing as the Ontario Flame Tamers women’s relay team; and Bronze for Chrissy Conti and Danielle Comolli competing in the female tandem category. Neither our team nor the competition would exist without the support of our sponsors. Thank you to our 2011 sponsors and supporters, including Toronto Fire Services, TPFFA Local 3888 and Starfield Lion. Big thanks, and welcome, also goes out to several new sponsors for our 2012 season, including Dependable Emergency Vehicles, Ken Shaw Lexus
Toyota Scion, and Crossfit Toronto. We are also proud to be associated with Community Centre 55, which is a local charitable organization that has long served the Beaches area. Most members of the team admit that before they joined they were concerned about their own physical fitness levels and about putting aside the time to train. All of our members have families and/or a variety of extracurricular activities to which they are committed. The great thing about the Challenge is that most of your training can be done on your own, which most fire fighters do already to maintain the strength needed for our job. The Challenge, we find as a team, keeps us motivated to maintain and improve our physical abilities both on and off the job. We are always looking for new teammates and welcome anyone and everyone to join, whether you want to maintain your physical fitness, improve it, or get back into shape. We look forward to seeing you at our open house in April 2012 and on the course in the 2012 season! For more information, please visit our new website designed by D76 Designs owner, Chad Dranchuk at www.torontofirecombat.com. W I N T E R 2 0 1 1 | F I R E WAT CH 21