Flower Mound firefighter wins national lifting competition

By Chris Roark in The Flower Mound Leader
Flower Mound firefighter Joe Hnizdo is used to lifting heavy equipment, but last month he was recognized for lifting heavy weights as well. Hnizdo bench pressed 455 pounds to claim first place at the National Firefighter Games, which took place Nov. 6 in Jacksonville, Fla.

It was the first time Hnizdo had competed at the games. He also won first place at the Texas Firefighter Olympics in July. “I was surprised,” Hnizdo said of winning the national title. “There are a lot of guys who put so much effort and work into it. I was definitely surprised being in it for such a short amount of time.”

The National Firefighter Games takes place annually and features 26 events for firefighters/paramedics from 13 states across the country.

Flower Mound firefighters/paramedics typically compete at the state level, but local fire officials believe Hnizdo is the first to compete on the national stage.

“A lot of people come and go in this service, but Joe is a role model with the way he trains and with his character,” said Flower Mound Fire Chief Eric Metzger.

Hnizdo, who is in his second year with Flower Mound, finished with a wide margin ahead of the second-place competitor, who finished with 405 pounds. Hnizdo attempted 475 pounds but scratched.

“You don’t always do your max,” Hnizdo said. “You just do what you need to do to win. You don’t want to risk injury.” He said his personal best is 550 pounds.

Hnizdo played football in junior high and was on the power lifting team at Hurst L.D. Bell High School. But he really got serious about weight lifting a year and a half ago when a 72-year-old trainer noticed Hnizdo in the gym.

“He told me that I was strong but that I wasn’t as strong as I could be,” Hnizdo said. “So he trained with me, and then I crawled to my truck afterward.”

The training led to immediate success. Hnizdo won the first state competition he had ever entered last summer.

Then of course is the benefit weight training has on his job. “Firefighters and paramedics cover the whole spectrum,” Hnizdo said of what their responsibilities include. “It helps all of us to be fit and in good shape. All of us have different abilities. I can carry more equipment, but others can crawl around faster. It helps that we can play those to our advantage.”

Metzger said having Hnizdo is an advantage to the department. “Most rescue departments have rescue tools, like the jaws of life. We have Hnizdo,” Metzger said, laughing.

Next up is the World Police and Fire Games in August in New York City. The annual event will be especially meaningful this year since it will take place almost 10 years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

“It’s going to be special to a lot of us, and I’ll get to meet the firefighters from New York,” Hnizdo said.

He also expects the event to be challenging. “There are going to be a lot of tough men and women from all over the world there,” Hnizdo said. “They’re expecting between 15,000 and 20,000 from police and fire departments.”