Even a soggy summer couldn’t slow down the Orange Volunteer Fire Company competition team.
Though they literally were running in water at Saturday’s Virginia State Firefighters Association (VSFA) competition in Hampton, the Orange firefighters won five of eight events to cruise to a 15th straight state title.
Of the 10 teams competing at the Hampton Coliseum Aug. 4, Orange amassed 28 event points, easily outdistancing second-place Fairfield Volunteer Fire Company that earned 12 points.
“We’re consistent!” coach Jimmy Fitch declared after the company’s 22nd overall title. “The weather conditions were terrible with all the rain we’ve gotten, but we made it work.”
Making it work was sometimes a challenge in the rainy summer months when the firefighters generally practice.
“We couldn’t get in a lot of practice because of all the rain,” Fitch said.