Firefighter's Combat Challenge - History

History

In 1975, The Sports Medicine Center of the University of Maryland received a federal grant in the amount of $87K from the precursor to the US Fire Administration (The National Fire Prevention and Control Administration-then a part of the Department of Commerce). Instrumental in facilitating the grant was Chief Dave Gratz the Director of Fire-Rescue Services of Montgomery County (MD) and Dr. Leonard Marks (a candidate for the director of what would ultimately become the USFA). The research scientists who were the principal investigators of a study to measure and characterize the physical demands of structural fire fighting were Dr. Charles O. Dotson, Dr. D. Laine Santa Maria, Dr. Paul O. Davis and Dr. Richard A. Schwartz. Their research was published in a GPO Technical Report and later authored by Drs. Davis, Dotson and Santa Maria in a peer-reviewed publication of the American College of Sports Medicine (Davis, Paul O., Charles O. Dotson and D. Laine Santa Maria. "Relationship Between Simulated Firefighting Tasks and Physical Performance Measures." Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Vol. 14, No. 1, pp. 65–71, 1982.) While not intended as a sports competition, a large part of the research was based upon five sequentially performed fire ground evolutions garnered upon input from a Job Task Analysis (JTA) conducted with the assistance of the Greater Washington Council of Governments Fire Training Officers sub-committee. One-hundred randomly selected firefighters from five political jurisdictions participated in both laboratory-based physical performance measures and the Criterion Task Test (CTT). The results of the study graphically, and not surprisingly demonstrated an ascending level of performance with higher levels of muscular strength, lean body mass and PWC (physical work capacity). Originally intended as an entry-level, or personnel selection instrument, not until 1991 would the Firefighter Combat Challenge appear as a major industry sports event, when again, at the University of Maryland’s MFRI (Maryland Fire Rescue Institute) would the first competition be held, organized by Dr. Paul Davis and the staff of On Target Productions.

The first challenge was won by Prince William County, VA in 1991, the only challenge held that year. In 1992, seven regional challenges were held, with the first World Challenge held coincidental with the IAFC convention in Anaheim, CA. DuPont was the Title Sponsor for the first two years. In 1994, Scott Health and Safety came on board and assumed Title Sponsor in 1999.

Television has been an important part of the Challenge. FETN covered the 1992 Championship followed by ESPN for 10 years. Recently, the Versus (VS) network, owned by Comcast has carried the World Challenge Championships. Through an assortment of media outlets, upwards of 40 million people per year can be identified as gross market impressions.

The rules, procedures and trademarks of this competition (Intellectual Property, i.e., IP) are protected through a copyright issued by the US Patent Office in 1993. Licenses for running sanctioned events are currently in force and being expanded to such countries as New Zealand, Germany, Slovenia and Hungary.

At the conclusion of the 2009 Season, 308 Firefighter Combat Challenge events have been held in 44 states and the District of Columbia- as well as Toronto and Ottawa. The last remaining states yet to host an FCC event are: Connecticut, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.