FireLink

Firefighters Do (Friendly) Battle

OAK HILL, West Virginia – Volunteer firefighters often consider one another brothers and sisters, but they generally only meet when handling dire situations or outright tragedies.

Saturday afternoon, they met on much less stressful grounds to do what they love, plus engage in friendly competition.

More than 100 firefighters from eight volunteer departments in three counties gathered for the 16th annual Fireman’s Rodeo. The event coincided with the city’s Oak Leaf Festival, celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.

“The rodeo is a way we can all get together and have fun without being on a call,” Jason Gregory, an Oak Hill firefighter and rodeo chairman, explained. “The only other times we have with these guys is when something bad is going on.”

Gregory said the competition is friendly, but it is not easy. The competition, done with firefighters wearing full gear and on a hot day, includes an obstacle course, carrying five-gallon buckets of water up ladders in a bucket brigade and the “water fight.”

The latter, somewhat resembling tug-of-war, consists of two opposing teams of firefighters both spraying water at a barrel attached to a line above them. The team that pushes the barrel all the way to the end and on their opponent’s side wins.

Fayetteville firefighter Laura Comer said the competition takes precision under difficult conditions. Firefighters must keep a steady stream of water going – and aimed at the target. At the same time, they must also haul hoses.

“The barrel is constantly moving and you have two streams of water,” she said. “It takes some practice. You have to get right on it.

“You get blinded a lot. When your opponent’s stream comes shooting right at you, that happens.”

Gregory said about 120 firefighters from Fayette, Greenbrier and Kanawha counties signed up for Saturday’s competition. The departments included Oak Hill, Mount Hope, Fayetteville, Armstrong Creek, East Bank, Cedar Grove, Ronceverte and Loup Creek. Winners received cash prizes and dinner was served afterward.

It was the second year for the competition’s “Battle of the Ax,” Gregory noted. A decorated firefighter’s ax was given to last year’s overall winner, Ronceverte. The ax returned to the competition Saturday to go home with this year’s winner.

James Defibaugh, a firefighter for four-year champion Ronceverte, was not overly confident Saturday.

“It’s going to be tight,” he said. “East Bank beat us at the tug-of-war. I guess some of them have been practicing.

“For four years, we’ve won. I don’t know about that now. ... But it’s not over till it’s over.”

Nonetheless, Defibaugh said he and other firefighters – from all the departments – participate in the rodeo just for fun and everyone is friendly with one another. It is also an opportunity for the public and firefighters’ families to see and appreciate all the work firefighters do.

“We come for the fun, not to win,” he said. “It’s for the fun and for the kids. That’s what it’s about.”

Cheryl Rucker, whose husband Ben is an Armstrong Creek volunteer firefighter, said she was at the rodeo to support her husband and firefighters at all departments. She says she cheers for all of them at both the rodeo and in their everyday work.

“I’m for all the teams,” she said. “It’s great, and it’s a good feeling. When their pagers go off, I know they’re going to help someone – someone in trouble or in need.

“I’m going to keep this up, not just for Armstrong Creek but for everyone.”

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