Fourth of July Blast: Firefighters to Hold Waterball Contest in Edmonds

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Area firefighters will put their skills on display in the annual Edmonds Fourth of July Waterball Competition beginning at 2:30 p.m. at City Park, 3rd Ave. S and Pine Street, Edmonds.

Volunteer firefighters from Snohomish County Fire District 1 will host the free event that has been a Fourth of July tradition in Edmonds for years. 

“Many families picnic in the park and watch the competition after the parade and before the fireworks show,” said Leslie Hynes, public information officer for Fire District 1, which provides fire and emergency medical service in the City of Edmonds.

“Waterball is a little like tug-of-war with water,” Hynes explained. “Two teams of three firefighters compete in each round using a fire hose to blast water at a ball suspended on a long overhead cable. The first team to push the ball over to the opposing team’s side wins.”

It takes a combination of teamwork, good communications and hose-line proficiency to win the competition, Hynes said. “Waterball may be just fun and games, but it requires some of the same skills firefighters need to successfully fight a fire.”

After the competition, children will have an opportunity to tryout the fire hose (with some assistance from firefighters) and cool off in the water.

Fire District 1 is the largest provider of fire and emergency medical services in Snohomish County, with full-time staffing at 12 fire stations. The department serves nearly 200,000 residents in unincorporated south Snohomish County, Brier, Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace and Woodway.