Fireman's Fun Fest competition heats up in Mullan
Riggs Rasmussen hurled candy at spectators from the top of a fire truck during the parade at the Mullan Fireman’s Fun Festival Saturday.
CAROLYN BOSTICK/Coeur d'Alene Press
Competitors in the Make-n-Break race to assemble a fire hose, aim and knock over a target with water, and then disassemble a fire hose. The four-person team with the best time wins. The two-day celebration hosts competitions for adults and kids as part of a fundraiser for the Mullan Volunteer Fire Department.
McKenna Barnes, 7, jumps through a sprinkler during the Mullan Fireman's Fun Festival.
Competitors in the Make-n-Break race to assemble a fire hose, aim and knock over a target with water, and then disassemble the hose. The four-person team with the best time wins. The two-day celebration hosts competitions for adults and kids as part of a fundraiser for the Mullan Volunteer Fire Department.
Spectators line up during the parade Saturday at Mullan Fireman's Fun Festival. The two-day celebration hosts competitions for adults and kids as part of a fundraiser for the Mullan Volunteer Fire Department.
Kids bike in the parade during Mullan Fireman's Fun Festival Saturday. The two-day celebration hosts competitions for adults and kids as part of a fundraiser for the Mullan Volunteer Fire Department.
A target is hit during the Make-n-Break as part of Mullan Fireman's Fun Festival Saturday. The two-day celebration hosts competitions for adults and kids as part of a fundraiser for the Mullan Volunteer Fire Department.
Natalynn Lane, 8, and other spectators line up to get candy during the parade Saturday at Mullan Fireman's Fun Festival. The two-day celebration hosts competitions for adults and kids as part of a fundraiser for the Mullan Volunteer Fire Department.
A band marches during the parade Saturday at Mullan Fireman's Fun Festival. The two-day celebration hosts competitions for adults and kids as part of a fundraiser for the Mullan Volunteer Fire Department.
A woman bearing the American flag marches during the parade Saturday at Mullan Fireman's Fun Festival. The two-day celebration hosts competitions for adults and kids as part of a fundraiser for the Mullan Volunteer Fire Department.
Candy is thrown to spectators during the parade Saturday at Mullan Fireman's Fun Festival. The two-day celebration hosts competitions for adults and kids as part of a fundraiser for the Mullan Volunteer Fire Department.
Competitors in the Make-n-Break race to assemble a fire hose, aim and knock over a target with water, and then disassemble the hose. The four-person team with the best time wins. The two-day celebration hosts competitions for adults and kids as part of a fundraiser for the Mullan Volunteer Fire Department.
Sasquatch makes an appearance at the Mullan Fireman's Fun Festival. The two-day celebration hosts competitions for adults and kids as part of a fundraiser for the Mullan Volunteer Fire Department.
A child brings a bucket to be filled up from an open hydrant during the Mullan Fireman's Fun Festival as the adults get ready to compete in the Make-n-Break. The two-day celebration hosts competitions for adults and kids as part of a fundraiser for the Mullan Volunteer Fire Department.
Kids compete in the Mullan Fireman's Fun Festival Sunday. The two-day celebration hosts competitions for adults and kids as part of a fundraiser for the Mullan Volunteer Fire Department.
Kids compete in the Mullan Fireman's Fun Festival Sunday. The two-day celebration hosts competitions for adults and kids as part of a fundraiser for the Mullan Volunteer Fire Department.
MULLAN — Riggs Rasmussen isn’t yet 2 years old, but he was already aiding the Mullan Volunteer Fire Department by throwing candy at spectators from the top of a fire truck during the parade at the Mullan Fireman’s Fun Festival on Saturday.
The parade kicked off a two-day celebration for the Mullan Volunteer Fire Department. Mullan Fire Chief Rick Smith said the firefighting festivities have been going on for decades in Mullan, much to the delight of the participating families.
“It’s hot, it’s wet, and it’s a fundraiser that helps support the volunteer fire department,” Smith said.
Wearing a crimson plastic firefighter helmet with “fire chief” emblazoned across the emblem, 8-year-old Natalynn Lane and her mother, Sheena Lane gathered up candy as the parade passed by. Sheena Lane has been coming to the annual event for as long as she can remember and said it's always something she looks forward to in the summer.
“The kids will be coming through on their bikes later and picking up all of the candy stragglers,” Lane said.
Firefighters opened a hydrant to keep spectators and participants cool as the temperature rose Saturday, and more than a few kids and adults made a run through the sprinklers on the blocked off street.
A favorite spectacle at the festival is the Make-n-Break in which teams of four compete to assemble a fire hose, connect it to a source of water, knock down a standing target, and then disassemble the hose and make it back to the starting point. The team with the best time wins. The competition is the one time a year when civilians can try their hand at quickly and accurately aiming a fire hose.
Firefighter Jay Herbert noted that while in past competitions he’s personally competed in all the games — the Bucket Brigade challenge and fireman’s tug-o-war in addition to the Make-n-Break — he was content this year to guide participants from the sidelines instead.
“The Make-n-Break is fun, but I don’t run as fast as I used to,” Herbert said with a laugh.
The competitive edge to the activities added a lot of excitement as well as a measure of education about old-fashioned methods of fighting fires from the past.
Herbert said that while the event turnout has dropped off from past years, it’s still important to keep the fundraiser going both to help power the fire department and to be an outlet for the community to cut loose during the summer. The community event also boasted raffles in addition to being a source of outreach for the fire department.
“It’s a lot of work for a few people, but it’s worth it. We still do it for the people of Mullan,” Herbert said.
