If you’ve ever wondered how many people it takes to pull a fire truck down the street, the folks behind the Law Enforcement Torch Run have a pretty good idea.
That group raises money to support the Special Olympics in Kansas, and on Sunday afternoon, they had six groups from the community turn out at Shawnee Town 1929 to show their strength by pulling a fire truck from the Shawnee Fire Department and a tactical vehicle from the Shawnee Police Department.
It’s the 14th year they’ve held the event. Teams pull the fire truck 50 feet and the police vehicle 75 feet through the parking lot. There’s no specific limit on the number of people on each team, but the combined weight of each team must be less than 1,500 pounds.
This year there were six teams, four of which were from local police or fire departments.
“I like that it gets people out here, and it brings awareness to Special Olympics. It kind of plays on the police/fire rivalry. We like to have fun with that,” said Matt Seichepine, a captain with Shawnee Police.
For Bridget Dorr of Kansas City, Kansas, seeing the community support for Special Olympics athletes like her sister, Rosemary, was something special.
“These cops and firemen are out there all the time supporting these athletes. It’s just amazing as a family member to see people who don’t have that in their life support it. It’s our norm, but it’s their choice,” Dorr said.
That kind of a reaction is exactly why Seth Mullis, chief of the Johnson County Community College Police Department, wanted his team to join this year.
“We love that the [Special Olympics] athletes are sitting right up front. Nothing motivates you more than seeing the smiles on their faces,” Mullis said.
The friendly rivalries were definitely part of the charm for Leo Santizo of the JCCC police.
“We’re here for fun — as long as we beat the Shawnee Police Department,” he said.
In the end on Sunday, the Shawnee Fire Department won the competition, pulling the vehicles in a combined time of 23.46 seconds.
Special Olympics Kansas also won, in a sense. The event raised $9,050 to support their athletes.
See more pictures from the event:
