Burton wins 'Strongest Firefighter' title

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Sulphur Springs resident Andrew Burton, who is employed with Rockwall Fire Department, won the title of World’s Strongest Firefighter at the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday, March 4, 2023.

Competitors at this international Strongman Corporation contest came from multiple countries in North America and Europe.

A preliminary qualifying competition was held on Friday, March 3, with approximately 100 competitors total in the men’s open (competitors weighing 231.8 pounds or more), men’s middleweight (less than 231.8 pounds), and women’s weight class divisions. Andrew placed fourth in the preliminary competition, qualifying him to compete with the top 18 athletes at the Finals competition. Andrew placed first at the Finals competition, securing the international title of World’s Strongest Firefighter.

Burton, 30, said he was back in action Tuesday morning with the Rockwall Fire Department. He has been surprised by all the attention he's gotten the recent contest.

'I liked it, I plan to do more contests. Everyone here has been very supportive,' Burton said. 'This was a high level of competition and the contest was great, they had 4,000 fans just for the firefighter competition.'

Burton, a 6-3, 315-pounds, trained for the contest for a total of 10 weeks. He has been working with weights and doing cardio exercises.

Burton has been a firefighter for 10 years, the last six years with Rockwall. He's a 2010 graduate of Sulphur Springs High School and worked for the Sulphur Springs and Hopkins County fire departments before moving on to Rockwall.

'i started lifting weights in high school and I liked it. I was pretty good, I went to state three years,' Burton said. 'I also played football for SSHS.'

Burton said, 'Lifting weights is something I enjoy, but you do basically three lifts. The firefighter contests has more action and I like the events.'

Next year he plans to defend his title and also possible go to the World Amateur Competition.

Burton said, 'As a firefighter you want to be a strong and agile as possible. So this training helps with my job. I found a great place to work in Rockwall. I am very happy with my job and I like the support of all my co-workers.'

Burton said he likes to be where the action is at work. At times he drives a ladder truck as part of his regular duties.

'I really like extractions, freeing people trapped in cars from wrecks,' Burton said. 'I like cutting them out, I have pulled a few doors off too.'

Burton still has contacts in Sulphur Springs; his wife, Taylor, is from the city; his mom, Lynn Burton lives here.

'This is mind-blowing to have a world title under my belt,' Burton said. 'I liked the competition and I will continue doing it as long as I am healthy.'

Qualifying competition events included: •Fatback Farmer Carry (260 pounds per hand carried 40 feet, deadlifted for four repetitions, then carried an additional 40 feet, with an additional four deadlifts)

•Viking Press (260 pounds for repetitions. Andrew ac•Arm-Over-Arm Pull (rope attached to 800 pounds pulled for 40 feet)

•Power Stairs (lifting three implements - 300, 350, and 400 pounds - up three stairs with heights of 18-inches each) Finals competition events included:

•Ambulance Tire Deadlift for repetitions (575 pounds —Andrew placed second in this event with 16 repetitions in one minute.)

•Sandbag Carry (Three sandbags - 220, 250, and 300 pounds each carried 40 feet. Andrew placed fifth in this event.)

•Axe Hold (A 25-pound axe was held laterally in each arm for time. Andrew placed third in this event.)

•Fire Hydrant Load (Four fire hydrants, weighing 175, 200, 225, and 250 pounds, were lifted from the ground onto a four foot tall platform. Andrew placed first in this event, completing the task in 17 seconds.)

Video footage of the Finals competition (starting with the Sandbag Carry event) is available at https://www.youtube.com/live/ CB7pcTPyNRw?feature=share.