Four-Alarm Frolic Contests In Post Falls Among Idaho, Canadian Fire Crews Sharpen Skills, Forge Friendships

Wearing cutoffs and bathing suits under their fire-resistant overcoats, more than 80 firefighters battled it out Sunday in Post Falls’ annual firefighters’ water fight.

“Training is pretty monotonous,” said competitor Jackie Sharp, from the Post Falls ambulance crew. “This is the same thing, but without the stress level.”

Fire crews blasted targets with hoses, and raced to connect hose lines. One event - a relic from decades ago - had teams running a bucket brigade up a ladder. Post Falls has hosted the annual event, believed to be the biggest of its kind in North Idaho, for more than a decade.

“It’s mainly a social event to get to know the other departments,” said Duane Hanna, a Post Falls firefighter. “Just knowing each other gives you confidence in working with each other.”

The competition drew more than 80 contenders from Canada, Rathdrum and Coeur d’Alene’s Kootenai County Fire District 1.

One of the morning events was a joust between firefighters from Kootenai County and Canada, each armed with a fire hose. Each team attempted to push a beer keg hanging overhead past the opposing team.

“WATER!” cried an official, as the hoses sprang to life. The keg bucked and swayed as it was struck by water from both sides.

Kootenai County had better aim, though, and drove the keg toward the Canadians. Frantic, the Canadians fell back and tried to stop the advance, but the keg sped by overhead, pushed by the water from Kootenai County’s hose.

The crowd cheered.

The Canadians were not without influence, however. The beers of choice on Sunday appeared to be Labatt’s and Kokanee.

Rathdrum firefighter Dan Howard said there’s a practical side to the keg contest.

“It’s how to hold a hose and advance a hose,” he said. “There are a lot of skills here, and it’s not under the pressure of saving somebody’s life.”

Also, he said, the weekend gives fire crews a chance to swap notes and talk shop.

“We’re not the greatest team. We’re pretty lousy, actually,” he said. “But you get to see some of their equipment and play with it.”

There were several Post Falls fire calls over the weekend, none of them major.

Just in case, though, the department kept its trucks at the ready, parked on the road outside the station.

“Obviously, we’ve got a lot of volunteers here,” chuckled Hanna.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo