Penza, 29 November 2011. PenzaNews. The leaders of the voluntary fire brigade “THW Jugend” Sergey Golod and Ingo Henke from Frankfurt visited Penza fire department number 4.

The press-service of the Ministry of the Russian Federation for Affairs for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters in the Penza region said: “The guests got acquainted with the life of the Penza firefighters and technical equipment of the fire department. Their special interest was the system of physical training for firefighters, a set of exercises included in the competition for fire and rescue sports”.

Fire and rescue sport dates back to 1937, when the first race of fire protection of the People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was held. It includes the following types of exercises: the rise of the hook ladder on the 4th floor of training tower, installation of retractable three-section ladder and climb up to the third floor of training tower, the overcome the hundred-meter obstacle course, fire relay race and fighting deployment.

The press-service said: “Recently the popularity of fire-rescue sport increase not only in Russia but also abroad. Russian athlets over the years hold the championship plank, from year to year athlets break records and seek for new achievments in sport”.