Team Nunavut was among eight entrants in the 30th annual National Aboriginal Firefighter Competition held in Eskasoni, N.S. on Aug. 17.

And Team Nunavut was among eight winners at the event.

Organizers decided to award each team medals inscribed, SA国际影视传媒淲e are all champions.SA国际影视传媒�

Jonathan Ningark, a 10-year veteran of the Kugaaruk volunteer fire department, said it wasn't the outcome he was expecting.

SA国际影视传媒淚t was a little different. ISA国际影视传媒檝e got nothing to complain about but it caught me off guard,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲e did our best.SA国际影视传媒�

The competing firefighters did battle in several events. They donned their gear as quickly as possible, rolled hoses, raced with buckets full of water, and knocked down targets with hoses blasting, among other challenges.

Coming from a number of communities, the Nunavut participants only had three days to work together in Iqaluit prior to competing in Nova Scotia.

SA国际影视传媒淲e tried to point out our flaws and help improve each other,SA国际影视传媒� Ningark said of the preparation. SA国际影视传媒淲e help each other.SA国际影视传媒�

But not all things were equal. The self-contained breathing apparatuses that the Nunavut firefighters trained with in Iqaluit were not the same as the ones used in Nova Scotia, making it tricky to put them on.

SA国际影视传媒淭hat caught us off guard,SA国际影视传媒� Ningark admitted.

It was NingarkSA国际影视传媒檚 second competition, having been part of the event in Fort McKay, Alta. two years ago. He didnSA国际影视传媒檛 get involved last year due to suffering a collapsed lung. He said he felt 100 per cent ready to go last week, although the heat in Nova Scotia SA国际影视传媒� it was in the mid-20s SA国际影视传媒� while wearing fire gear made it sweltering.

SA国际影视传媒淭here was a guy who jumped in the 45-gallon barrel (of water),SA国际影视传媒� Ningark said. SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 how hot it was for him.SA国际影视传媒�