GLOUCESTER — Chief Eric Smith announced this week that 14 members of the Gloucester Fire Department are taking part in the 2023 Boston Bruins BFit Challenge to raise funding for charities that support the families of fallen or critically ill first responders.
Firefighters, law enforcement, military members, EMS personnel and community members compete in both fundraising and total number of steps taken during the challenge. First responders participate in courses with varying levels of difficulty. Many of the first responders involved walk up and down the steps of the TD Garden. The challenge has been held both virtually and in person since the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year’s Step Challenge will be held from Jan. 27th to Feb. 3rd, with participants using a smartphone app that counts their steps throughout the week. The in-person challenge at the TD Garden will be held on Feb 5. Gloucester Fire will be participating in both.
This year’s BFit Challenge fundraising goal is $600,000. Charities benefiting from the event are The 100 Club of Massachusetts, the Kappa Sigma Military Heroes Campaign, the New England Fire Fighter Cancer Fund, the Massachusetts Ambulance Foundation and the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, all of which support the families of fallen or critically ill first responders.
Participating from Gloucester Fire are Capt. Nick Ouellette, Capt. Chad Mota, Capt. Jamie Santos and Firefighters Charlie Scola, Matt Aiello, Mike Porcaro, Pat Legro, Andrew Pierce, Jonathan O’Bryan, Nick Aiello, George Black, Samantha Rose, Mike Mitchell, and Tom Aldrich
Gloucester Fire Department members are seeking to win the step challenge portion of the event again this year. Last year they were the top team with 2,664,271 steps overall. Firefighter Jak Letien was the top overall individual. Last year Gloucester firefighters raised over $3,000 as a team and they are hoping to beat that again this year.
To donate to an individual firefighter or the entire Gloucester team, click here.
To learn more about the BFit Challenge, click here.
The Gloucester Fire Department’s 2022 BFit Challenge championship team, which won the step competition with 2,664,271 steps overall, stands with the BFit Cup and Bobby Sweeney, a former Bruins player and president of the Boston Bruins Foundation. (Courtesy Gloucester Fire Department)
