On Saturday Feb. 7, from 7 a.m. to noon, there was a Vo-Tech competition held for high school students who take vocational classes for firefighter/EMT. The competition was scheduled to be for students from Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's Counties. However, only Calvert and Charles students participated in the event.

In the Skills USA Competition students are timed and judged for their performance over a grueling, 10-station course. Winners of this competition would become eligible to compete at the state competition. Should the students prevail at the state level they would then be eligible to compete in the national Skills USA Competition held in Kansas City.

At Saturday’s event, the instructors showed the judges and the students what was required. Each contestant was given written instructions prior to the competition The local tri-county competition is difficult to say the least, but at state and national competitions, the challenge is even more difficult.

The purpose of this event is to evaluate each contestant's preparation for excellence and professionalism in the field of firefighting. Judges evaluated the each contestants' ability to perform firefighting skills based upon skills selected from the IAFF/ICHIEFS Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT) and the Menu and National Fire Protection Association 1001, Firefighter I, 2002 Edition (NFPA).

Here is what the competition included:

• Station 1: Don structural personal protective equipment (PPE) within (60) seconds.
• Station 2: Tie ropes and knots used in firefighting situations to related NFPA standards.
• Station 3: Complete a stair climb required in firefighting situations to CPAT expectations.  At this event, they had to go up and down the steps a total of five times.
• Station 4: Demonstrate ability to drag hose as required at a fire scene to CPAT expectations.
• Station 5: Show the ability to carry equipment used at fire scene to CPAT expectations.
• Station 6: Complete search functions at a simulated fire scene to CPAT expectations.
• Station 7: Demonstrate skills for a rescue drag to CPAT expectations.
• Station 8: Demonstrate ability to force entry into a structure to CPAT expectations.
• Station 9:  Demonstrate ability to properly tie a roof ladder and an uncharged hose line for hoisting.
• Station 10: Demonstrate procedures to extend double ground ladder to CPAT expectations.

This competition was overseen by Calvert County Fire & Rescue by Kimberly Jones and Wayne, with the help of Instructors Bernie Collins and Ricky Grierson.

The contestants on Saturday were: John Faulkner – Dunkirk, Mike Jeffreys – Huntingtown, Ben Jeffreys – Huntingtown, Jacob Ogden - St. Leonard, Brian Keyes - Bryans Road, Andrew Tackish - Bryans Road and Tim Collins - Indian Head