Fire challenge in Erbil
Text: Warrant Officer Sándor Varga | Photo: by the HTSC | 12:11 September 22, 2023On 11 September, in commemoration of the heroes of the tragic events of 2001 in the USA, an international competition “9/11 Fire Challenge” was organized in Erbil, Iraq. The team of the Hungarian Training Support Contingent (HTSC) matched their skills against 13 other units.
Following an opening speech delivered by the local fire chief and the words of commemoration from an American field chaplain, first the individual and then the team competition took place.
The individual competition required all contestants to don the full protective suit used by firemen in under 60 seconds. In what followed, the teams completed the relay race in fire suits and with oxygen tanks (breathing apparatus). The events of the competition included the pushing of a 60kg sled, pulling weights and the pulling of the injured. Moreover, the team members had to hit a 40kg block lying on the ground with a hammer to push it aside. As the closing event of the team competition, they had to extinguish a simulated fire with a water jet.
Through its prestigious second place, the Hungarian team has earned further reputation for Hungarian soldiers and the Hungarian Defence Forces.
IMG_0462
IMG_0471
IMG_0472
IMG_0473
IMG_0477
IMG_0481
