World Firefighter Games Celebrate Durban, SA Centennial
Introduce ACTivators to World-wide Competition
With most popular spectator sports, the world competes in the Olympics and the Goodwill Games. For the unique lives of firefighters, the World Firefighter Games (WFG) are the showcase for death-defying, life-saving skills competitions. Recently held in Durban, South Africa, as part of the Durban Fire Services Centennial celebration, the bi-annual event drew over 2500 firefighters from 29 countries. Participants competed in 62 different sporting events, culminating in the Toughest Firefighter Alive (TFA) competition.
While most world-class sports competitions showcase athletic excellence, the WFG is all about using that excellence in service to society. In addition to the cadre of "normal" sporting events to demonstrate speed, strength and agility, these games include unique challenges such as automobile extrication and high-angle rescue, proving that fire fighting is not for the light-hearted or single-focused.
Just like in the field every day of the year, radio communications are critical to the fire fighting tasks performed for fun at the Games. That’s why Durban Municipality Electronics specialist Keith Childs provided Game organizers with the latest in battery charging technology in South Africa, the ACTivators by Advanced Charger Technology. "The Durban firefighters had been having battery problems," explains Childs. "I knew they needed something they could depend on. This was a good opportunity to test the ACTivators."
To take the title, Toughest Firefighter Alive competitors must navigate four different obstacle courses with only 10 minute rests in between. Challenges include dragging and connecting hoses, carrying buckets through tunnels, climbing a 3-meter wall, carrying ladders, climbing towers, and running up 27 flights of stairs. Darrel Ray of Australia took the TFA trophy home for his overall speed and performance. Other WFG competitions include hose laying, high-angle rescue, auto extrication, advanced life support and a computer-simulated disaster challenge.
"The radios were used continuously at various events and competitions. When the extrication teams are working, there has to be communications between the ground control teams and the people directly involved in the rescue. We used two ACTivator VI chargers and were very satisfied," said Bobby Van Wyngaarden, Fire Specialist in the Durban Metro Fire & Emergency Services and local coordinator for the WFG and trade show (Johannesburg Fire Fighting Services was the host organizing committee).
"I would think that with the duration of the event, there might have been problems with the batteries running down," said Van Wyngaarden. "They used the radios constantly from at least 0900 to 1700 and never experienced any. The batteries lasted the entire day with no problems and charged up very quickly. I would recommend the ACTivators. They worked 100% . They are suitable for use whenever people need batteries quickly. We had no problems whatsoever. These chargers are something our brigade could look at for the bulk of our charging in the future," he added.
"The judges and officials were very satisfied with the batteries, the charging facility and the operation of the radios in total. The batteries were rapidly charged after each days’ events in time for the same radios to be used by organizers of evening functions."
Evening functions were the highlight of the Games for many attendees. A different theme each night kept the action going long after the competitions ended. From an African Banquet to a beach party to a rollicking Sports evening, South African hospitality shined and fire fighter camaraderie radiated. The highlight of the French-themed evening, hosted by the Y2000 Games committee, was the passing of the "Sprit of Freedom" WFG Trophy to the next host country. The closing banquet turned sentimental as new friends were reminded of the distances that separate them between such spirited gatherings, and pledges were made to promote future WFG participation.
"This was the first time that an event like that has taken place in South Africa. We hosted about 2500 firefighters as well as families. Besides the work, we had fun and had a chance to meet a lot of people, including many firefighters I had corresponded with over time. I’ll definitely attend the next Games."
The bi-annual World Fire Fighting Games were established to foster camaraderie amongst fire fighters and test their sporting skills in a serious yet friendly competition, according to Van Wyngaarden. They originated in Auckland, New Zealand over a decade ago and have since been held in Las Vegas, USA; Perth, Western Australia; Edmonton, Canada and Durban, South Africa this past May. The next Games will be staged in Mantes, France July 8-13, 2000. For more information, contact Y2000 organizer Jean-Marc Girollet at +33-13.477.20.00 or fax at +33-13.478.56.52 (Brochures available upon request). Or, you can contact the WFG Executive Committee, Perth Fire Brigades, Western Australia, +61-894.59.1187, Attention Trevor Pateman, Director.
The ACTivators from Advanced Charger Technology, Inc. are now available throughout Africa. The ACTivators use patented Dynamic Electrochemical WaveformTM technology to condition as they charge NiCd batteries in about 30 minutes, eliminate memory effect, triple battery life and provide a maximum capacity charge every time. For more information, you can contact ACT Pty. Ltd. at 021-551-12.10 or actafric@iafrica.com.
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