On the Road with the Junior's Firefighter Challenge

With hands-on challenges and a commitment to community, the Junior's Firefighter Challenge is more than just a show—it’s a traveling mission to inspire the next generation of Canadian firefighters. 

Nikky Passmore started her entertainment career traveling to fairs and festivals across Canada, putting on shows for major productions. It was during this time she noticed something interesting. 

Despite the widespread interest kids have in fire trucks and firefighting, no shows or attractions represented or supported the firefighting community. “Fire departments will do one-off events or visit schools, but there wasn’t any kind of entertainment show dedicated to giving kids hands-on experience on what it’s like to be a firefighter,” said Passmore. 

Discovering this, Passmore saw a unique opportunity. While she didn’t have extensive insight into the firefighting world, her partner, Mike Feduniw—Battalion Chief at the Red Deer Fire County Department and a Pierce Sales Manager at Commercial Emergency Equipment in Canada—did. 

Combining his skills and knowledge of firefighting with her background in the arts, the two worked together to develop the Junior’s Firefighter Challenge, a first-of-its-kind traveling firefighting show. 

The show aims to educate children about the challenges and responsibilities of firefighting through a multi-obstacle training course. Passmore describes it as “entertainment with purpose” to encourage kids to overcome challenges while inspiring them to consider a career in firefighting. “It’s about building confidence, teamwork and a sense of community service,” said Passmore. "All while having fun."

The interactive course allows participants to dress in turnout gear and perform challenges including a ladder carry, hammer sled and hose hoist. Passmore's favorite part of the course is the "Rescue Ralph" or "Dummy Drag" challenge, where participants drag Ralph—a 20-pound dummy made from retired firehose materials—to safety. "It's so fun and cute to see the determination on their faces," she said.

The children also receive experience using a fire extinguisher through a digital training apparatus used by real firefighters, a real-life skill Passmore says very few kids and adults know."

During a show a couple of years ago, I asked the audience, 'Who here knows how to use a fire extinguisher?' Not a single hand went up," she recalled. "This was concerning—when your house is on fire, it's not the time to start Googling directions."

How does Passmore and her team travel across Canada? The show is literally built on wheels. After Passmore got the first bid on a retired 1999 Ford F550 fire truck, she integrated the entire show into the vehicle, from the props and obstacles to the sound equipment. "When we're not touring, the truck's parked in my backyard. But come festival season, we pack up and off we go," she said.

The Junior’s Firefighter Challenge has gained momentum across Canada, with rural towns eager to bring it to their fairs and festivals. This excitement shows this type of event is just what the Canadian fire industry needs.

“Canada is experiencing an ongoing shortage of firefighters, with smaller communities especially short on volunteer firefighters,” explained Passmore. “People assume someone will always be there when they call, but recruitment has been down and it’s a real concern.”

In every town they visit, Passmore and her crew become the local fire department’s biggest advocates, inspiring young participants to consider future careers in firefighting and encouraging adults in the audience to consider volunteering. 

The show's impact was made evident after Passmore and her crew were invited to perform in Donalda, a small village in central Alberta. The show was part of the community's broader effort to start a fire department. Inspired by what they saw, enough residents signed up to establish the department the following year. 

"We're doing everything we can to get people excited about helping their community," Passmore said. "People have been so receptive and it feels great to know the show is making a difference for the firefighting community."

Looking ahead, Passmore hopes to expand with a second unit to bring the Junior's Firefighter Challenge to even more Canadian communities and several U.S. fire departments have also expressed interest. “I’m excited to see where the road takes us,” Passmore said. “And to see how we grow and how we can keep using art and entertainment to support firefighters.” 

You can follow the Junior’s Firefighter Challenge on social media for a behind-the-scenes look or visit their website to learn more about the show.