DND firefighters ready to test their skills
By Griffin Bjerke-Clarke,
Trident Staff
The second annual Tactical Firefighter Games (TFG) are set for February 16–27, featuring physical and mental challenges aimed at promoting camaraderie through friendly competition.
Since the inaugural TFG event of March 2025, attendance has doubled, with more Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) fire halls signing on, including the CFB Halifax Fire Department and 12 Wing Shearwater Fire and Emergency Services, who will each have members competing for the first time.
For the TFG, firefighters from the National Defence Fire Service will compete at their local base gyms across the country, under the coordination of PSP staff, in a test of key skills associated with the job. While participants do not travel, results are tracked nationally, allowing firefighters to measure their performance against peers across the service. Participants must complete a circuit of nine challenges over two hours, combining strength, endurance, and problem-solving. Tasks include loaded box setups, trap bar carries, sandbag drags, and sledgehammer tire slams, with added cognitive challenges at both the opening and conclusion of the event designed to test focus under fatigue. Prizes will be awarded to top performers at the end of the competition.
In a message sent to DND fire halls to help launch this year’s PSP-led event, Canadian Forces Fire Marshal Lieutenant-Colonel Jean-Marc Fugulin described the games as a vehicle to demonstrate the capabilities of DND firefighters while building connections across the profession.
“I think it’s really important that we come together,” he said.
“The inaugural games in March 2025 were a success,” he added, recalling a “challenging event filled with friendly competition, teamwork, and unforgettable moments, setting the stage for an even bigger second edition this year.”
“Get ready to push your limits, showcase your strengths, and build team spirit, all while having fun.”
Cpl Evan Canning is competing in the TFG later this month and represented the Shearwater fire hall behind the scenes during planning meetings with PSP staff and firefighters across the CAF.
“I love the whole idea and I’m excited to be part of it. I put my name in as a participant right away,” he said.
Borrowing from his background in the Military Police service, he suggested the games also include cognitive challenges oriented to the specific mental demands of firefighters.
Cpl Canning recommended a challenge in which each participant is shown a photo of an accident and given 30 seconds to memorize as many details as possible, before being quizzed on those details at the conclusion of the circuit. The challenge was based on the RCMP exam and replaced previous cognitive tasks that were not aligned with the specific mental demands of firefighting.
12 Wing firefighters regularly respond to medical calls, where they must keep patients stable while awaiting the arrival of ambulances, which can take time to reach Shearwater. These medical calls are the most frequent for base fire departments and can be mentally taxing, he said.
As the games continue to grow, Cpl Canning added that he hopes connections between fire halls will increase. Communication between units has traditionally been limited, making events like the TFG all the more valuable, he said.
The TFG committee has also discussed a future shift from individual to team competition. Cpl Canning said he has pushed for this as a way to better reflect the collaborative nature of firefighting.
“Being an MP, you’re more of an individual,” said Cpl Canning. “You’re going to calls by yourself, you’re assessing situations by yourself. But as a firefighter, you don’t leave this hall by yourself. You’re going with your team.”
“It would be great to see that reflected in the games.”
