Joe Arico has earned bragging rights in the Eureka Fire Protection District’s houses.
The 59-year-old volunteer firefighter set a Firefighter Challenge world record earlier this month with his tandem race partner Lianne McAuley, a firefighter from Ottawa, Ontario.
In the challenges, which are held throughout the year, firefighters complete five drills of technical skills they use to fight fires.
Arico and McAuley completed the challenge in 2 minutes, 32 seconds on Aug. 6 at an event in Ocean City, Md. The previous record was 2:51.
“It was really surreal,” Arico said of setting the record in only the second event he competed in with McAuley, who had held the record with a different partner. Arico has competed in challenges since 2019, capturing two national championships and a bronze medal three times in world competitions.