The smack talk has already begun as Airdrie’s first responders prepare to do battle in the Sirens Lip Sync Showdown: Battle for Airdrie. Throughout the months of November, December and January, members of the Airdrie RCMP, Airdrie Municipal Enforcement (ME), Airdrie Fire Department (AFD) and EMS will complete three challenges to benefit local charities. Once all three challenges are complete, the results will be tallied and the winning team decided. The losing team will have to brush off their dance moves, put on their uniforms and prepare to lip sync for their lives. “We fully intend, from the fire/EMS side, to have RCMP in their full uniforms doing the craziest Lady Gaga we can think of,” said Stuart Brideaux, spokesman for the EMS team. “We’re still in the planning phases of choosing which song they’re going to have to lip sync to. Rest assured, it will be a gooder.” RCMP and ME form Team Blue, while AFD and EMS are Team Red. November’s team challenge is to see who can raise the most support for the Airdrie Lioness Christmas Hamper Program by collecting donations of new toys. Bins will be located at all Airdrie fire halls, the Airdrie Municipal Police Building and Walmart, beginning Nov. 17. Donations will also be accepted during a “friendly” hockey game between the two teams, according to Brideaux, Nov. 24 at the Ron Ebbesen Arena. “At that time, you can place your donation in the support of the team you chose, as you arrive,” he said. “It doesn’t matter which team you’re cheering for that night – you might be cheering for the RCMP hockey team to win, but you put your donation with the AFD/EMS.” AFD will also have one of its bins at the Boston Pizza on Sierra Springs Drive. The winner of the challenge will be determined based on the weight of all donations received in their respective bins. Throughout the month of December, teams will be competing to collect non-perishable food donations for the Airdrie Food Bank, with members collecting during the Santa Claus Parade Dec. 1 and the CP Holiday Train’s stop in Airdrie Dec. 11. According to firefighter Damon Johnson, EMS and AFD are also planning something special for the annual Great Train Race during the Airdrie Festival of Lights. “We work really closely together. We’re thinking more people like firefighters than they do the police,” he said. “The benefit for us is that it’s actually us versus EMS during the train race, so we’ll have some time to co-ordinate some different stuff we can do [to win the challenge].” In January 2019, the teams will campaign on behalf of Canadian Blood Services, encouraging people to donate at one of two clinics planned for Airdrie – Jan. 11 and Jan. 22. “We’re partnering with Canadian Blood Services for their annual campaign, named the Sirens for Life Annual Blood Donor Challenge,” Brideaux said. “In this case, whichever team supplies the most donations throughout the month wins that challenge.” Blood donors will be asked to support either Team Red or Team Blue as they register, although Johnson said his team is the “obvious choice, since blood is red.” Ultimately, for both teams, the goal is to support and raise awareness for the charities. “We’re all working together for one big goal. These charities are the natural ones [for us to support],” said Morey Karch, a member of ME. “Of course, at Christmastime, you’d like to have food delivered to zero number [of people], but in today’s times, there’s always people who are going to need it. People always need blood.” More information about the various challenges will be available on social media – follow the RCMP, ME, AFD and EMS on Twitter or Facebook to stay up to date. The AFD also has a direct link to donate on its website.
