Volunteer firefighters run 10k at Blue Nose wearing heavy gear

Two volunteer firefighters from Fall River, N.S., had people at the Blue Nose Marathon doing a double-take as they ran the 10k race in their firefighting gear.

Mike Dodge and Tony Hart wanted to do something creative to raise money for the Heart and Stroke Foundation, and raise awareness about how important it is for firefighters to be fit. 

"Just running down the street, everyone was cheering for us, saying 'great job!'" said Hart.

Heavy load

While they were excited about the idea, the reality of running in 12 kg of gear, including big firefighting boots, was a bit tougher than they realized.

"There were a couple hiccups in that, the gear definitely did set us back a bit," said Dodge. "The heat and just the weight on our bodies, the bulk of it, it was something."

Dodge said the run had many people asking about volunteer firefighting.

He comes from a fitness background and has made it a priority to make sure the firefighters at their station stay in shape.

"It's the visual aspect, you see us running in our gear, you think, this is fantastic. We have a physically fit department, we have good members, they'll be able to respond and successfully perform the tasks they need to do."

Creative recruiting

Across the Maritimes, several communities have struggled to recruit volunteer firefighters over the last few years.

Dodge and Hart saw the race as a creative way to get the word out.

Hart, 20, signed up after his father was in a bad motorcycle crash in 2013. It was the Fall River staff firefighters who responded to the scene.

"It hit me really hard," he said. "I want to be that person, just like them, who helped someone else's father or mother."

They hope that by showing people what a positive experience it can be, more will sign up.

Money for charity

The pair finished well ahead of their goal time at 1:05. 

The benefit for them was raising more than $400 for the Heart and Stroke Foundation in the process.

Dodge says they plan to build on this success. 

"It was definitely challenging but rewarding as well, bittersweet when we crossed that finish line," said Dodge. "We might make an annual thing of it."