Austin Firefighters Combat Challenge

Members of the Austin Firefighters Combat Challenge Team joined Velocity Credit Union on Saturday for the Youth Savings Challenge. The firefighters set up a “Kids Challenge” course at Velocity’s Braker Lane branch and invited kids to take part in kid-sized firefighter challenges. The kids were outfitted in fire helmets and ran a course with a fire hose, pounded a sled (simulating forcible entry), dragged a dummy in a “rescue,” and shot a fire hose. Velocity Credit Union is sponsoring the Austin Firefighter Combat Challenge Team for 2009. The team, led by Capt. Jim Key (retired AFD) and Lt. Scott Bartell (AFD), and comprised of firefighters from around the Austin area, will compete in regional competitions as they attempt to qualify for the World’s Challenge in Las Vegas this November. The Firefighter Combat Challenge annually attracts hundreds of U.S. and Canadian municipal fire departments and is expanding to countries around the world. The Challenge promotes firefighter fitness and demonstrates the profession’s rigors to the public. Wearing “full bunker gear” and a breathing apparatus, competitors race head-to-head as they simulate the physical demands of real-life firefighting by performing a five-part series of tasks including running a five-story tower, hoisting, chopping, dragging hoses and rescuing a life-sized, 175 lb. “victim” as they race against themselves, their opponent and the clock. “We’re honored to support this great team of firefighters from around the area. Velocity’s original charter was for City of Austin employees, and a large part of that group is our firefighters and police officers,” said Debbie Mitchell, president/CEO, Velocity Credit Union. Velocity Credit Union is a full service financial institution headquartered in Austin, Texas. Chartered in 1947, the Credit Union serves a diverse field of membership that includes dozens of select employer groups and associations, along with a five county community service area. The Credit Union has assets of approximately $485 million and serves over 75,000 members.