First responders say the firefighter challenge allows them to better serve the community

WELL, NOT TOO LONG AGO, OUR FRIEND RANDY FROM HOOVER FIRE TOLD US ABOUT A NATIONAL COMPETITION FOR FIRST RESPONDERS. WE REMEMBER RANDY WVTM13’S BRYCE OSELEN SPOKE WITH THOSE COMPETING ABOUT WHY FIREFIGHTERS ENJOY A CHALLENGE. FIRST RESPONDERS SAY THE FIREFIGHTER CHALLENGE ALLOWS THEM TO BETTER SERVE THE COMMUNITY. A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING ON THE JOB THESE DAYS ARE NOT PHYSICALLY FIT. THEY DO THESE TYPES OF TRAINING EPISODES AND PROPS. THEY GET PHYSICALLY FIT, PRETTY QUICK. FIRST RESPONDERS HAVE COMPETED IN THE CHALLENGE FOR MORE THAN THREE DECADES, RETIRED FIRST RESPONDER JOEY HORTON SAYS HE CAN’T STAY AWAY FROM THE COMPETITION. WHEN YOU COME OUT HERE, IT’S A FAMILY. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS A FAMILY. THE MEN AND WOMEN WE PRETTY MUCH LOVE EACH OTHER. WE LOVE THE SPORT AND WE’RE ALL OUT HERE TO DO THE SAME THING. NEARLY 200 FIREFIGHTERS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE WILL COMPETE IN THIS YEAR’S EVENT. CHIEF ENGAGEMENT OFFICER MELISSA CAMPBELL SAYS THOSE WHO SERVE DESERVE TO BE HONORED AND RESPECTED. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ALWAYS RUNNING IN AS WE’RE TRYING TO EXIT, AND WE NEED TO GIVE THEM THAT RESPECT BECAUSE WHETHER THEY’RE MALE OR FEMALE, THEY ARE OUT HERE TRAINING THEIR BODIES DAILY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL ARE SAFE. WHILE THE COMPETITION ISN’T MANDATORY FOR FIREFIGHTERS, HORTON SAYS TO BE THE BEST, YOU HAVE TO TRAIN LIKE THE BEST. WE DON’T HAVE TO BE HERE, BUT WE’RE HERE FOR ONE THING. BASICALLY, THAT’S TO BECOME PHYSICALLY FIT AND TO ENJOY THE CAMARADERIE AMONGST EACH OTHER. IN HOOVER, BRY