VIDEO: Heidi Charest of Lady’s Island had the slightest of leads in the finals of the Firefighting Combat Challenge World Championships in Irving, Texas, two weeks ago. Her focus turned to keeping that lead as she dragged a 175-pound mannequin across the finish line.
“Just keep moving,” she told herself. “Don’t let it down. Keep moving.”
Picking up Rescue Randy, as the competition mannequin is known, is the hardest part, Charest said. She didn’t want to have to do it twice. As tough as it is — hefting and dragging the mannequin that weighs 25 pounds more than she does — that part of the race is her favorite.
“I see it as a great accomplishment, not only as a female but as a firefighter,” she said, explaining that the skill could mean saving the life of a fellow firefighter in an emergency situation.