Fireman's Challenge at VHHS Senior Party

Countryside Firefighters set up their Fireman's Challenge at Vernon Hills High School Fieldhouse for the Class of 2016 Senior Party last night between 10pm and midnight. As part of many activities to choose from, the Fireman's Challenge provided an opportunity for the graduates to experience the vigorous requirements in the event of a structure fire. Each student who elected to try the challenge was outfitted in a bunker coat, gloves, helmet and a twenty pound air-pack. An underlying competition was in play as there were two courses parallel to each other from the start. Each graduate had to carry a shoulder load of hose weighing about twenty five pounds to a keiser sled. At that point they dropped the hose and pounded the sledge hammer at the keiser sled simulating chopping a hole in a plywood roof. Then they grab the 150 pound manikin and dragged it 50 feet to safety. After completing the save, the graduate picked up the shoulder hose load and returned to finish. This effort earned the graduate a special raffle ticket for a 24" Flat Screen Television, one for the girls and one for the boys. "Although we are in a fun environment with the graduates, it gives our firefighters a chance to remind this young adults why it is so important to practice fire safety and understand the physical demands that is required when fire becomes out of control," said Tony Rodkey, Public Education Coordinator for Countryside Fire District. For more information go to www.countrysidefire.com