From the Niagara Falls Review:
When tourist Herbert Matthews from Chicago, Ill., looked out from the 33rd floor of his hotel room to view the Horseshoe Falls, something caught his interest.
Down below in a parking lot, he noticed a large group of firefighters taking part in some kind of a competition, so he went down to investigate.
Even though this was Matthews first visit to Niagara Falls, he felt right at home and for good reason.
“This is great, I wish that I could suit up and get out there,” he said on Thursday while watching the 2006 Firefit Canadian Championships, which was being held near Table Rock just across the street from the Canadian Horseshoe Falls.
As it turns out, Matthews is a Chicago firefighter, with 27 years of service, who had no idea this competition was in town this weekend.