CENTRAL WESTERN FIREMEN'S ASSOCIATION

 

BUCKET BRIGADE

 

Bucket brigade consists of filling a fifty‑five gallon drum sitting on top of a platform ten feet (+ or - 6") high. The water tank will be thirty feet from the platform, a ladder will be set up and tied to the platform, and plastic buckets will be used to fill the drum until water runs out of the drum and fills a gallon jug.

 

NOTE- Starting time is 12:00 P.M. and ending time 3:00 P.M. Both runs must be completed prior to 3:00 P.M. or the team is disqualified.

 

RULES:

 

1.          Six competitors per team.

 

2.          All six men/ladies will wear protective helmets.

 

3.                Everyone on the team must wear shoes, and the shoes can be of your choice.

 

4.                 Platform to be ten feet high plus or minus six inches.

 

5.                 Ladder to extend three feet above platform and to be tied.

 

6.                 Supply tank to be set thirty feet from the platform.

 

7.                 Two persons on the ladder and the person on the platform must stay in contact

              with the ladder at all times.

 

8.          Starting line is even with supply tank, thirty feet from platform for all six men/ladies on team, three on each side.

 

9.          Five buckets to be used. Buckets will be placed in a line at the base of the ladder. Canvas or plastic buckets may be used. Host department has this choice.

 

10.             A fifty‑five gallon drum must be filled to at least fifty gallons of water, then to

           overflow through a forty‑five degree angle fitting in the side of the drum, through

           hose to gallon jug until full.

 

11.        Time will be stopped when one gallon jug overflows.

 

 

 

 

 

 

PENALTIES:

1.          Ten seconds for carrying more than one bucket per runner to or from supply tank.

 2. Ten second penalties for loss of helmet (safety reasons).

 3.         Five second penalty when two men are on ladder and the men/ladies on platform loses contact with ladder once they are on it.

 4.        Five second penalty for buckets touching the ground.

 5.         Automatic disqualification for the team or any member of the team jumping into the drop tank.

 

* Note persons on the ladder or platform are allowed to handle more than one bucket at a time.

 

BUCKET BRIGADE RULE CHANGES FOR CHILDREN: (OPTIONAL)

1.          Platform will be five feet high.

2.          One person on ladder and one person on the platform.

3.          No protective clothing required.

4.          Thirty gallon barrel will be used.

5.          Supply tank will be twenty feet from platform.

 

All teams will be sponsored by a C.W.F.A. member department. All children must be twelve years and under. All team members must have a waiver signed by a legal guardian.

 

BUCKET BRIGADE EQUIPMENT NEEDED:

 

             55 Gallon Drum (C.W.F.A.) ‑ 3' of 1" hose    

8 ‑ 2 1/2 Gallon Plastic Buckets (heavy duty)                                                    

2 Sections of builder's scaffold ‑ heavy 10'

1 Straight Ladder ‑ 14' or 16'

1 ‑ One Gallon Milk Jug

1 ‑ 20' Safety Rope

3 Stop Watches

1 Dump Tank (1,000 gallon or larger)

Hose to fill dump tank, with holder

2 Whistles

5 ‑ 2" x 12”, 8 feet long or 60" wide ‑ lathe on end so plank can't slip

Total time of 2 runs

No boots required, shoes a must

 

Any person that participates on more than one bucket brigade TEAM must be in a different position on each team. (EXAMPLE: A RUNNER ON ONE TEAM CANNOT BE A RUNNER ON THE SECOND TEAM; THE PERSON AT THE TOP ON THE LADDER CANNOT BE AT THE TOP ON THE SECOND TEAM ¼ ¼ and so on.) 

At least one (1) member of the host department needs to be at bucket brigade site during set-up for the competition.