Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Lianne McAuley of the Stone Mills Fire Department set a pair of world records while competing at the Southwest Regional Firefighter Challenge Championship, held in Las Vegas, Nevada in August.
The competition sees firefighters from around the world competing in a relay obstacle course, simulating some of the grueling tasks a firefighter may be called to do when responding to an emergency.
On the day of the event McAuley was partnered with Cheri Ardoin from Louisiana. Despite havening never trained together, they were a formidable team, completing the course in a time of 3:37.70, a new record for the Over 50 division. McAuley ran the second half of the course, which involves running cones, dragging a hose and then dragging a dummy, all in full bunker gear under the hot Nevada sun.
McAuley also helped establish a new world record in the co-ed division, as her and Ardoin were teamed with David Bowman and Jeff Wright to run the course in 1:33.19, the new standard for the hybrid co-ed over 50 division.
McAuley is now training for the Firefighter Challenge League World Championships, taking place in Stuart, Florida, Oct. 3-8. To prepare she trains regularly at the Napanee Fire Service’s Station 1.