There’s nothing wrong with a bit of friendly competition, right?
That’s what local emergency services personnel believe, and with the help of Blairs Boot Camp, they’ve set up Clash of the Sirens, a fitness challenge event next month to raise money and earn bragging rights.
Const. Kelly Helbin of the Chatham-Kent Police Service said Josh and Nathan Blair, owners of the boot camp fitness centre, are organizing events for local police, OPP, fire service personnel and paramedics to run through. Eight teams of five – four from C-K police, one each from the OPP, fire service, EMS and St. Clair College – will compete May 13 at the St. Clair College Healthplex.
Josh Blair, wouldn’t give any details on what each event would entail.
“It’s going to be job related. All activities will have some sort of component tied to emergency services,” he said. “There will be a lot of pulling and pushing, specific to what they do as police officers, firefighters and paramedics.”
Helbin said the participants won’t know until the morning of competition what they will face.
Const. Jay Denorer with the OPP said the unknown element of the challenges only adds to the enticement of the clash.
“It’s shaping up to be a blast,” he said. “They keep changing it up. Anytime I think I know what’s going to happen, they change it up.”
Helbin said proceeds from the friendly competition would go towards Chatham-Kent Victim Services and national service dogs.
Paramedic Danielle Mifflin is looking forward to the clash.
“It will be fun and exciting to go against the people of the other services you work with,” she said.
Not only are the Blairs designing the challenges, but they are also helping the participants get into better shape before the clash. The teams can work out at the fitness centre free of charge from the time they register to participate to the day of the event.
Josh Blair expects the Clash of the Sirens to be an enjoyable event.
“It’s for a good cause. We’re going to have fun and raise a lot of money for Victim Services and service dogs,” he said.
Helbin encourages the public to watch the events, which are to start about 10 a.m.
“These should be good events for people to come out and watch us hopefully display some of our strengths,” she said. “It will be tough as we don’t know what the challenges will be.”
Denorer said the public will also have a chance to take part in a challenge of their own, as he’s arranged to have a firearms simulator on site.
“For a small donation, members of the public can practice their shooting abilities,” he said. “It’s all computer generated and there is no live ammunition.”
A laser sighting device slips into the barrel of a sidearm. As the trigger is pulled, the laser snaps on.
“It’s pretty accurate. This is a system used in the U.S. by a lot of agencies for training,” Denorer said.
Helbin hopes the Clash of the Sirens will be a successful challenge, as organizers would like to make it an annual event.
