Training Days
In preparation for the competition were two training days at the Penticton Fire Department’s training grounds, providing 77 participants with valuable hands-on training with both Penticton Firefighters and FNESS staff. One highlight was the participation three generations of firefighters on one team, which symbolizes community safety as a tradition and the intergenerational bond within the firefighting community.
Competition & Awards
The competition culminated in a memorable banquet, attended by guests including Chief Greg Gabriel of Snpink’tn, the Mayor of Penticton, and representatives from our sponsors, BFL Insurance. Adding a nostalgic touch, media specialist Richard Olak uncovered and shared rare footage of the very first firefighter competition, allowing attendees to reflect on the event’s remarkable history. One retired fire chief in attendance was actually at the original firefighter competition in question which shows just how important FNESS’s history is in the Indigenous firefighting community.
The winners were announced and are as follows:
1st Place 🥇 Lax Kw’alaams Fire Department
2nd Place 🥈 Tache Fire Department
3rd Place 🥉 Lower Nicola Indian Band Fire Department
Most Sportsmanlike 🏅 Kitkatla Fire Department
The 40th Annual Indigenous Firefighter Competition was a powerful celebration of skill, unity, and tradition, reinforcing FNESS’s vital role in supporting Indigenous firefighting communities across British Columbia.
Contact fireservices@fness.bc.ca to get involved in next year’s training and competition in Fort St. John.
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