FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (WJLA) – It may be the biggest event happening this year you haven’t heard of. It’s the World Police & Fire Games and it’s coming to Fairfax County in 100 days.
The Games is a 10-day Olympics of sorts, happening at venues countywide, as well as in Loudoun County, Maryland and D.C. It will draw to Fairfax 12,000 athletes from 70 different countries and deliver an economic impact of $60 to $80 million dollars. First responders compete in traditional sports like boxing and track and field, as well as contests specific to the pros, like the firefighter stair race, in which firefighters suit up with 50 to 60 pounds of equipment and ascend 28 floors.
The games are coming thanks, in large part, to Fairfax County Fire Battalion Chief Jerome Williams and Fairfax County Police Lieutenant Bruce Beckl, who met at the games in Sweden in 1999. They thought, “Wouldn’t this be neat to have this in our own backyard?”
After years of passion and effort, the time finally has come.
“As Bruce says, ‘Our baby is about to be born … we’re gonna suffer empty nest syndrome,’” Williams said.
But they are sure to be some very proud papas.
© 2015 Allbritton Communications Company
Spartan Echo 