A Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) team from Wyong has once again claimed brigade bragging rights by taking out the first round of the 2023 firefighting championships.
The station has been the state champion since 2018 and had two teams entered in the northern region competition which was held at Swansea last weekend.
Wyong 1 claimed top spot on the overall winner’s podium after placing first or second in almost every round, as a wide range of skills in the use of fire pumpers, hoses, ladders, extinguishers and breathing apparatus was tested.
“We are really happy with how things went; it’s probably the toughest competition we’ve had in a while,” FRNSW Wyong Captain Jamie Loader said.
“It was a really close tussle between first and second place … it came down to the last event and we only won that by a second or so.
“It was good to be pushed really hard, under hot and difficult conditions.”
All up, 14 crews from 11 stations took part in the two-day event.
Wyong 1 notched up 1,376 points, ahead of the second-placed Kootingal Rural Fire Service on 1,251 points and competition host team Wangi Wangi 1, which finished third on 650 points.
Wyong’s win sees it charge towards the State Championships in October 2024, to face-off against a host of teams after a southern competition is held in August this year and two more regional events take place next year.
The championships first took place in 1932 in New South Wales, helping firefighters maintain their specialist skills to protect the irreplaceable and generate friendly rivalry among fire stations and emergency services.
Source:
Media release, Mar 30
Fire and Rescue NSW