Syracuse Church Hosts Fire Dept. Challenge

SYRACUSE - The Grace Bible Baptist Church of Syracuse has invited local fire departments to compete in a fire challenge Oct. 15.

"It's going to start at 11 a.m. with morning church service dedicated to them," assistant pastor Daniel J. Duncan said. He also said awards will be presented to the winners.

"Frank O'Bannon wrote a letter to them thanking them for their service," Duncan said of local firefighters. He said the letter will be presented to the firefighters at the worship service. O'Bannon's letter was written to local firefighters to thank them for the services they provide to surrounding communities.

"I believe Senator Kent Adams is going to be at the service," Duncan said. He said it is "not a full commitment, but he said he'd try and be there."

Duncan also said firemen will receive a special gift at the service.

Following the service is a chili cookoff. Duncan said the wives of local firemen are invited to participate in this chili contest. The cookoff will be judged and a prize will be given to the winner. "It will also serve as lunch" for those attending "Red and White Sunday," Duncan said. There will be no cost for lunch or activities.

The fire challenge begins after lunch. Duncan said local fire departments were invited to put together five-person teams to compete. He said Syracuse, Milford, Benton Township, Clinton Township and New Paris departments already have committed to participate in the challenge. "I'm still working on Ligonier," Duncan said.

Competition will consist of a burning wall in a false room with furniture (people will be able to see inside) and a life-sized dummy (donated by Clinton Township).

Duncan said the false room will be filled with smoke and each team of firemen will have to extinguish the smoke-filled, fiery room, locate the dummy and cut through the blazing wall. Competition begins at a fire engine, where each team will go through the procedure of suiting-up and controlling the fire as in a real life-threatening situation.

Duncan said each team will be able to demonstrate to the community search and rescue techniques and skills, such as suiting-up and getting equipment ready to go. "Each team will be able to display their firefighting techniques," he said. "I think it'll show some variety as in what each fire department will do."

He also said, "Each team will go one after another, and we will have a brand new wall for each."

State Fire Marshal M. Tracy Boatwright is planning on attending and judging the fire challenge, and Duncan said if he is not able to attend, "then he said he'd send a representative."

To make the day possible, Duncan had to get a variance for the fire challenge. "(It's) something that the state is approving for these guys as training," Duncan said. "So it's a big deal."

The Grace Bible Baptist Church and Duncan are calling the day "Red and White Sunday."

"The red represents our firemen," Duncan said. "And the white represents our prayers and thanks to them."

Duncan said this is the first year for the event. "The fire challenge is just something we thought up to have a lot of fun with," he said. "We're going to make it an annual event. We're hoping that it will grow."

He said the fire challenge is part of Grace Bible Baptist Church's attempt to dedicate a special day in honor of the service firemen provide. He said the people of Grace Bible Baptist "feel it is important to express their gratitude for the sacrifice and risk their firefighters willingly give to respond to emergency situations in their community."

Duncan said the winning team will receive a perpetual "travelling" trophy that will go from department to department each year.

Red and White Sunday also will have Syracuse Fire Department's ladder truck on display for people to check out and walk around in.

"I think it's going to be pretty good," Duncan said of the soon-to-be annual event.

The public is invited to attend. The church is just north of Ind. 6 on CR 35 in Syracuse. For more information, call 457-4572.