Mitchell Cowden, an alumnus of the Utah Valley University Firefighter Recruit Candidate Academy, competes in the tire pull relay against academy students in the annual Fire Games at the Utah Fire and Rescue Academy in Provo on Wednesday.
The annual event gives the students — who graduated later Wednesday night — and academy alumni a chance to show off their skills and physical preparation in a series of events geared toward job-related functions.
In addition to the tire pull, participants performed a bucket brigade, conducted self-rescues and turnout drills, and did pullups — all in the name of fun and competition. The firefighter course, held both fall and spring semesters, includes approximately 400 hours of classroom and “fireground” training, plus an additional 300 hours of college-level prerequisite course work.