Birmingham Welcomes the World for First Responder Competition
More than 8,500 first responders from more than 70 countries gathered June 27–July 6 in Birmingham, Alabama for the World Police and Fire Games. The games, which take place every two years, highlight a variety of competitions related to the skills first responders use every day in their job as well as the sports they play—and perfect—in their free time.
Birmingham Fire Department Lieutenant Garth Jones described it as a worldwide family gathering in a central location.
“No matter where we are from or where we work, ultimately we all do the same job,” Jones told the Birmingham Times. “We all have an immediate commonality in our profession. Even as competitors and total strangers, we all share an unspoken bond from similar experiences ‘doing the job.’”
This year, the games highlighted athletes’ skills in 78 sports, including basketball, soccer, pickleball, cycling, archery, axe throwing, and more. Events spanned the Birmingham Metro Area, from downtown in the Magic City to Talladega in the eastern part of the state. This year also marked the first time the Firefighter Challenge, held annually in Alabama, was officially incorporated into the program for the games.
The Firefighter Challenge included individual races and team relays through an obstacle course designed to test athletes’ endurance and lifesaving skills. Skills included stair climbing, running hose and dowsing fires, removing victims, and more. Hosted at the Hoover Metropolitan Complex (the Met), the Hoover Fire and Police Departments provided support.
“This is a spectacular event for us,” said Matt Javinett, assistant fire chief for Hoover. “It showcases our area to people from around the country, and this year, from around the world. We had the opportunity to show two fire chiefs from India one of our stations and our training center, and for us and them to learn how things are done throughout the world.”
Hoover also provided EMS services to other events held at the Met, including baseball, tennis, soccer, and basketball. The heat in the Birmingham metro reached the low 90s, with a heat index over 100 degrees some days. Keeping athletes healthy and safe was a priority for not just Hoover, but the other local agencies that provided support.
Competitor Cade Roberts, a paramedic with the Tuscaloosa, Alabama, fire department said the heat posed a challenge for the team, even though they were local. While Tuscaloosa has won the Firefighter Challenge in previous years, the team this year had never competed together before. Roberts said the main goal was a clean run and to have fun with competitors from all over the world.
One of the big stories from the games was the presence of Ukrainian teams. In many sports, the country couldn’t field a team due to the ongoing conflict. Many felt they couldn’t leave home, said Roman Sylchuk with the State Emergency Department of Ukraine. For example, the Ukrainian ice hockey team, with just five players had to have extra players drawn from individuals who didn’t come with a team of their own.
“This is a way for us to make new friends and have new experiences,” Sylchuk said of the games, and the Firefighter Challenge in particular. “We love coming every year because we get to see our friends.”
Going into the Challenge, Ukraine held the world champion title. In 2025, the team took home silver. The Ukrainian hockey team came in fourth in the intermediate division.
At the Pelham Civic Complex, ice hockey competition was fierce across four divisions: novice, intermediate, division II, and division I.
Brandon Underwood, with the Richmond, British Columbia, fire department, said one of the biggest challenges of the games was simply coordinating the team to ensure everyone got to Birmingham safely. But once in town, the team loved their experience.
“The buzz around the town's been awesome, and we're excited to get going here,” he said. “It's a little different [here] than where we're from. We're kind of the Pacific Northwest. But everyone's been super nice and a little bit of a different culture. We like the Southern hospitality, for sure.”
The games and playing a sport he loves on a global stage represented a “once in a lifetime opportunity” for Underwood and his team. The Richmond Fire Rescue team would end up clinching the gold in the top division.
The games head to Perth, Australia in 2027. The 2029 location was announced following the Birmingham games with India clinching the bid.
