The toughest two minutes in sports.
Not the period after the two-minute warning in an NFL game. No, we’re not talking about the 12th round of a high-stakes boxing match. We’re not even talking about the Kentucky Derby or the final moments of a March Madness thriller.
The toughest two minutes in sports is the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge, when firefighters at different locations around America wear full bunker gear and race head-to-head in contests that simulate the demands of real-life firefighting. Competitors perform a linked series of tasks that includes climbing a five-story tower, hoisting, chopping, dragging hoses, and rescuing a life-sized, 175-pound “victim” and dragging him to safety. The spectacle is fun and benefits local firehouses and firefighters associations nationwide, but do not be fooled into thinking the race is a walk in the park. Firefighters take pride in the physical requirements of their jobs, and nothing represents the profession’s grueling nature better than the Scott Combat Challenge. Races are short but painful as competitors aim to beat their opponent and the clock. When the contests end and champions are crowned, the pain goes away and firefighters are celebrated for their dedication and courage.
The first Firefighter Combat Challenge took place in 1991 between five fire departments in the Washington, D.C., area. A year later, seven competitions occurred throughout the country, with the first true national championship in Anaheim, California. By 1993 the Challenge had expanded to 12 events and was soon being broadcasted every year on ESPN. Today, events attract hundreds of American and Canadian municipal fire departments at more than 25 locations. The Scott Firefighter Challenge is even expected to be held in other countries, including New Zealand, Germany, Argentina, Chile and South Africa.
One of these spectacles took place in Branson, Missouri, from May 6-7 of this year. The opening ceremony was held Friday afternoon, while Saturday featured by a fire truck parade followed a safety expo in the Town Square and a Corporate/Community Challenge. On the night of May 7, Journey tribute band Resurrection played a concert to close the festivities with a bang.
Competitors included teams from across the Midwest supported by the IAFF Local 152 union, including Missouri, Kansas and Arkansas, while some firefighters came from as far away Virginia Beach. Races were held at the south parking lot of Branson Landing.
The event generated significant economic value for the city of Branson, but the deeper meaning was something much, much greater.
“The Challenge keeps with Branson’s belief that men and women who serve our communities should be honored and supported,” said Terra Alphonso, director of sports marketing and development for the Branson Convention and Visitors Bureau. “It’s an opportunity to introduce new firefighters and their families from cities all over.”
Indeed, the Scott Combat Challenge represented a prime opportunity for Branson to display its hospitality and entertainment value as a small yet lively town in southern Missouri.
The 2016 Challenge was held at Branson Landing in the downtown area of the city, where shopping, restaurants and entertainment collide to form one of the finest waterfront attractions in the Midwest. Combat Challenge competitors and tourists stayed at top-of-the-line host hotels like the Hilton Promenade, Westgate Resorts and the Comfort Inn at Thousand Hills.
Branson has long been known as the “Live Entertainment Capital of the World” due to the many theaters that line 76 Country Boulevard. A trip to the city might include shows at Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede or Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Theatre, the latter of which features the famous Legends in Concert.
The event also offered plenty for children to do. The Kids Combat Challenge took place on Friday and Saturday for ages four through 12, adding to the action-packed environment of the weekend.
“The Kids Challenge provided a chance for children to really get involved in the experience,” Alphonso said. “It could also influence their career choices.”
It was certainly the hope of the Branson Firefighters Association and Local 152 International Firefighters that kids who witnessed the event were impacted by it. Being a firefighter takes courage, dedication and strength, the kind that stretches far beyond physical fitness. And in Branson this past May, these values were illustrated in ways like never before. As the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge continues to evolve, growing larger and larger with each passing year, awareness and respect for firefighters will expand too. And how could it not? After all, these are the toughest two minutes in sports.
