MEMBERS
PETER
CLIFFORD
Peter thinks of himself as a regular guy.
But this regular guy - a St. Catharines
firefighter for the past 22 years - has
helped extract people trapped in cars
after auto accidents, been lowered
using ropes down into Niagara’s
gorges to rescue stranded or injured
hikers, and assisted in performing
body recoveries of drowning victims.
Oh, and yes, he also fights fires.
Of course, Peter can’t perform these
duties in just any old comfy shorts and
T-shirts. Dressed in protective bunker
gear made of insulated fire-retardant
material, Peter adds 30 to 35 pounds
when he dons his boots, pants, jacket,
helmet, and gloves. He adds another
30 pounds when he has to strap on an
oxygen tank and mask. Supplemental
gear that firefighters typically use
on the job, such as fire axes and
water hoses, or the jaws of life, can
weigh upwards of 60 or 70 pounds.
“You do need to be in shape to do
this job well,” says the 50-year-old,
who, at 6-feet tall and 183 pounds,
presents a lean, strong figure.
30 | whiteoaksclub.com | fall 2013
Lifestyle
“I’m not one of those guys who
totally loves fitness and going to
the gym, but I like being fit and this
job forces me to stay in shape.”
The long-time White Oaks member’s
(since 1990) four-day-a-week routine
is based on functional training, where
strength, flexibility, co-ordination,
range of motion, balance, movement
speed and aerobic conditioning are
all important in doing his job, which
can involve running, lifting, carrying,
pushing, pulling, dragging, bending,
twisting, climbing, turning and crawling.
Being on the job means working 10or 14-hour shifts and always being
prepared to rush to a fire, accident or
medical emergency at any hour of the
day or night. It means regular training
and drills to keep up-to-date on the
latest techniques and equipment, and
the ability to make sound judgments
and assessments on the scene. It
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