Making a splash
Firefighters competition a big hit in return to Coal Dust Days.
The New Waterford Volunteer Fire Department put its firefighters competition back in the Coal Dust Days schedule this year to mark a special occasion. After a four-year hiatus, the event was back in the festival calendar to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the fire department’s founding.
The firefighters competition started in 1985. After a couple of decades the interest in the event began to wane, said veteran New Waterford firefighter Steve McNeil.
“It’s our 100th anniversary so we brought it back to give it a try again. Hopefully, we’ll keep it going,” he said during a break in the action Saturday.
He was satisfied with the crowd of 50 to 60 people who were watching the firefighters run through their paces on five physically demanding drills.
The competition attracted six volunteer fire departments from across the Cape Breton Regional Municipality — New Waterford, Coxheath, New Victoria, Scotchtown, Sydney River, and Westmount.
During the bucket brigade drill Scotchtown firefighter Adam Woods kept the guys in his department motivated.
“Hustle, hustle, hustle! We’re almost there,” Woods yelled as members of the Scotchtown fire department passed buckets of water up a ladder to be emptied into a large pale.
The drills were mostly for fun, however Woods said there’s a lot of fundamental training involved in each event.
“We were talking about how we were here in teams when we were younger — some 20 years ago — and now we’re here competing. It’s a lot of fun and a lot of good training value as well.”
Coal Dust Days committee member Ralph Degiobbi said the festival was blessed with warm, sunny conditions over the past week.
Although he said the size of crowds at events were smaller than in previous years.
“There are a lot of people working out west,” he said.
“A lot of people do come home but the ones out west in camps can’t get off (work).”
The festival concluded with its closing concert and fire works display on Sunday evening.