PFD Explorer Post 2050 Win First Place in National Fire/EMS Explorer Conference in Emmistburg, Maryland

During June 29-July 3 of 2003 nine explorers from the Peoria Fire Department Explorer Post 50 were selected to go and compete in a National Fire/EMS Explorer Competition in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Each team was randomly selected to compete in two events both unknown to the teams until their arrival at the National Fire Training Academy. Team A's competitions being "Room Search" and "Arson Investigation". Team B's competitions being "Spinal Immobilization and Move" and "Make and Break". Team A members are Candace White, Tom Stimeling, Brennan Kennedy, and Andy Jones. Team B memeber are Emily Simpson, Justin Douglas, Gregory Walters II, Corey Milliman and alternate explorer being Mike Tamkin.

Each team ranked high in all competitions and out preformed many of the 34 explorer posts from all over the United States in overall skill and teamwork. The city of Peoria, out-lying communities, and the explorer post 2050 was represented well. However, it was the Arson Investigation team that swept clean the competition and took home the first place trophy. These young adults had to investigate a potential arson case in a simulated burned building. It was the quick assessment of the room by Brennan Kennedy and Andy Jones with the combination of witness/bystander interrogation by Candace White and Tom Stimeling that lead the team to the outcome of the investigation. The team exceeded all other explorer posts that competed in this event by figuring out where the fire started in the room, placing people at the scene at the time of the fire, and the taking of forensic evidence. Their final outcome being the fire could not be determined at this time due to not receiving the forensic evidence back from the lab. The Peoria Fire Explorer Post 2050 was "right on" and because of this conclusion it led them to winning first place.