FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas -- The Fort Sam Houston Fire Department's Fire Explorers Post 1876 was red hot at the inaugural Alamo Area Fire Explorer Competition Nov. 14, winning two of the four events.
Held at the San Antonio College First Responders Academy in Von Ormy, Texas, the FSH team was pitted against 13 teams from seven fire exploring posts throughout the area.
Fire service exploring is a worksite-based program for young men and women who have completed eighth grade and are 14 years of age, or 15 years of age but have not yet reached their 21st birthday.
"The Alamo Area Fire Explorer Competition was held in order to bring all of the Fire Service Exploring Posts together, build camaraderie and promote careers in the fire service," said "A" shift Fire Captain/Paramedic David Lewis. "Our team got to see how the other posts do things and to learn from each other."
The explorer posts help youth gain insight into a variety of programs that offer hands-on career activities for those interested in the field of fire service.
In the five-man pumper race, the team of Victor Castillo, Kevin Nelson, Dylan Gonzalez, Alex Kane and Miguel Chavez lit up the competition with a time of 37.41 seconds, besting the Poteet Volunteer Fire Department Team A's time of 42.75 and the Poteet VFD Team B at 48.4.
"It felt great since this was our first time ever doing this event," said FSH Chief Fire Explorer Kevin Nelson. "We had to work together as a team to hook up an antique fire engine to a fire hydrant, get a fire hose stretched out over one hundred feet and flow water from the hydrant to the truck, then get water out of the other end of the fire hose as fast as we could simulating attacking a fire."
Castillo and Chavez took the top two spots in the bunker gear race, where contestants have to put on all their gear in a certain time. Castillo was able to don his gear in 35.54 seconds. Chavez was close behind with a time of 38.34.
"These young men demonstrated pride and professionalism throughout the event," Lewis said. "They made Fort Sam Houston, the Army, and all of our firefighters who helped to train them look really good out there."
Next year, Lewis hopes the competition to be bigger and better as more youths learn about the program.
"I'm extremely proud of how these future leaders of the fire service performed," Lewis said. "We will look at making this an annual event."
"We had a lot of fun at this competition," Nelson said. "I know next year, Fort Sam will get first in all the races."
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