By Michele RobertsonDowntown Carlsbad is a bustling epicenter of activity this year. Carlsbad MainStreet’s downtown district is hosting events like the weekly (seasonally May-October) Carlsbad Downtown Farmers and Makers Market, HeritageFest, and the Firefighter Combat Challenge.It’s been two years since Carlsbad has hosted the Firefighter Combat Challenge. Event organizers Ashly Key, Executive Director for Carlsbad MainStreet and Carlsbad Fire Chief Richard Lopez are excited to announce the new location and time for the event. Previously held down at the beach area during the summer, the event is now happening in downtown Carlsbad in the fall. This move brings cooler weather for competitors and participants alike. While this is typically a come and go kind of event, this year promises to be a fun filled family day!“For competitors this is a big deal, they are trying to shave off time and improve from the last run. Unless you are a competitor or a family member of a competitor, the runs all start to look the same so people don’t always stay long. We want people to stay all day, and Ashly is helping with that,” shared Chief Lopez. “MainStreet is honored Chief Lopez approached MainStreet for a downtown location,” Key said. Friday night will have the individual challenges starting at 4:00 P.M. There will also be food trucks downtown Friday night for hungry folks. Saturday the team challenges begin at 1:00 P.M. There will be vendors, food trucks, a car show, a beer garden, a kid challenge area, a concert, street dance, and a helicopter!! EMS appreciation is also being included in the festivities and begins in the evening celebrating our first responders and all they do for our community. “This is a great time for the community to come out and thank our first responders,” shared Key. “We've had great support already from the community for this event,” she added. The challenge brings in competitors from all around the country. Each one competing to be the “best of the best”. Carlsbad holds the world record for the Team Event, and is looking to defend that title. The Carlsbad Fire Department has a new team for the team event, and new competitors signing up regularly. “We have a training tower and all the equipment needed to run the challenge, so the guys are training on actual course-like runs,” shared Chief Lopez. The Challenge simulates actual fire ground conditions that would be encountered during routine fire suppression/rescue activities. Competitors wear standard firefighting equipment weighing approximately 48-50 pounds while completing a series of five courses. The high-rise pack carry, the hose hoist, forcible entry, hose advance, and victim rescue. In order to pass the Firefighter Combat Challenge test, all course elements must be completed in seven minutes or less. While the firefighters work on their times, you can work on some shopping and enjoyment. Vendors will be set up, grab some lunch from the food trucks, then meander through the car
show. Be sure to stop at the kids challengearea if you’ve got little ones and let them give the mini course a try.Live music starts at 5 P.M. with Grupo Veneno, JD & The Badlands at 7 P.M. and Mark Powell headlining at 9 P.M. The Carlsbad Community Anti-Drug/Gang Coalition will be hosting a teenstreet dance in the evening for teen attendees while the parents are enjoying the live music. Come on out for the day or for a while, either way come show some support and enjoy a day in the beautiful downtown district of Carlsbad with your loved ones. Take some time to explore what home has to offer. “Thanks go to our generous sponsors Chevron, Native Air, ChampionX , ConocoPhillips, Trans Aero Medivac, Carlsbad Lodger’s Tax, The Post Time Inn, Home 2 Suites by Hilton, and TownPlace Suites by Marriott,” Key shared.“There’s a lot going on and I’m excited about it. Everyday something new comes up and it’s going to be great” shared Chief Lopez.