15/04/2026
🔥 Champion Alert Senior Firefighter Penny Parker 🔥
A huge congratulations to our very own Penny Parker, who has taken out the title of Firefighter Combat Champion and set a new record in the Lion's Den 💪🚒
Penny’s dedication, grit, and relentless work ethic have paid off in a big way. Competing at the highest level, she pushed through every challenge with determination and composure, proving exactly what it means to represent our crew.
Setting a record is no small feat it’s a reflection of countless hours of training, discipline, and mental toughness. Penny has not only raised the bar but set a new standard for others to chase.
We’re incredibly proud to have her on our team. Well done, Penny you’ve earned every bit of this success.
A message from Penny herself.
The individual challenge felt very long, and I really had to pace myself because I wanted to achieve Lion's Den. I was on the best track for the day - RED.
I felt comfortable through all the different sections until I got to the dummy. I couldn't lift him to the height I wanted, but I told myself it was now or never. A couple of times, I honestly thought it would be easier to just drop the dummy and walk away.
The only reason I held on was because my daughter had already lifted and dragged the dummy twice for our tandem run the day before, so giving up was simply not an option. And I definitely did not want to wait until Wellington and possibly have to do the drag on the blue track with a stiff dummy and hose pack up the stairs on my weak arm.
Having everyone cheering me on was such a huge help as well - thank you!
When I crossed the line and heard everyone cheering and clapping, I couldn't quite believe I had actually done it.... until the music played.
I never thought I would achieve Lion's Den. It's been something I've been chasing for a while now.
A huge thank you to my family, combat team and workmates for encouraging me every step of the way and helping me chase this dream.
