Sometimes you’ll hear people say that firefighters don’t do anything but sit on the couch and wait for something to happen.

Thursday and Friday at the Mississippi State Fair, you can see that’s not entirely accurate when you visit the Firefighter Combat Challenge taking place just off the midway.

The mission of the Firefighter Combat Challenge is to promote and showcase the talents, skills and athleticism of America’s firefighters in q competition simulating the essential skills of firefighting. Contestants climb a five-story tower in full-bunker gear, dragging and hoisting fire hose, simulating forcible entry, and racing around obstacles. The Firefighter Combat Challenge motivates, identifies and celebrates America’s “best of the best” firefighters.

Statistics of the course and equipment:
Tower height: 5 stories (41’ / 12.5m tall; 44.6” / 113.3cm railing height)
Tower weight: 8,500lb / 3,855.5kg (excluding tractor)
Number of stairs: 63 steps / 6 risers, 10 steps per riser
Weight of PPE: 50lb / 22.7kg (including 3M – SCOTT Air-Pak SCBA)
Weight of 3M – SCOTT Air-Pak SCBA: ≈ 19lb / 8.6kg filled with compressed air
Amount of compressed air consumed: ≈ 1.5 – 2lb / .7 – .9kg
Weight of the high rise hose pack: ≈ 42lb / 19kg
Weight of the donut hose roll: ≈ 42lb / 19kg
Weight of shot mallet: 9lb / 4kg
Weight of the Keiser sled: ≈ 160lb / 72.6m
Distance to drive the Keiser beam: 5’ / 1.5m
Distance of the hydrant run/ walk: 140’ / 42.7m
Distance of the hose advance: 75’ / 22.9m
Weight of the hose as advanced: 140lb – 240lb / 63.5 – 108.9kg
Diameter of the hose: 1.75” / 4.4cm
Weight of the Rescue Randy: 175lb / 79.4kg (with gear)
Distance of the Rescue Randy dummy drag: 106’ / 32.3m