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Photo from Vestavia Hills Fire D
Members of the Vestavia Hills Fire Department won a silver medal in softball in the 2025 World Police and Fire Games.
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Photo from Vestavia Hills Fire D
Vestavia HIlls firefighter Noah Holly won a gold and bronze medal in jiu-jitsu in the 2025 World Police and Fire Games.
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Photo from Vestavia Hills Police
Vestavia Hills police officer Blake Lockhart won a silver medal in freshwater fishing at the 2025 World Police and Fire Games.
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Photo from Vestavia Hills Police
Vestavia Hills police officer Zac Thrft won two gold medals in jiu-jitsu in the 2025 World Police and Fire Games.
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Photo courtesy of city of Vestav
Members of the Vestavia Hills police and fire departments are recognized by the Vestavia Hills City Council for their participation in the 2025 World Police and Fire Games during a City Council meeting on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025.
The Vestavia Hills City Council this week recognized the 23 members of the Vestavia Hills police and fire departments who participated in the World Police and Fire Games held in the Birmingham metro area in late June and early July.
Eighteen of those first responders came home with medals, officials said.
Police officer Zach Thrift won two gold medals in jiu-jitsu, while firefighter Noah Holly picked up a gold and bronze medal in jiu-jitsu. Police officer Derek Wilcox won silver in jiu-jitsu, while police officer Josh Kidd claimed a bronze medal in that sport.
Police officer Blake Lockhart won silver in angling, and police officer Jake Mollus brought home a bronze medal in pickleball. A softball team from the Vestavia Hills Fire Department captured a silver medal. That team included Chad Crowe, Will Eaton, Duncan McReath, Pierson Paddock, Zach Hamrick, Brady Johnson, Tyler Pearce, Jacob King, Will Davis, Eben Leeman, Micah Cunningham and Frankie Bender.
Other Vestavia Hills first responders who participated in the games included:
- Firefighter Blaise Rogers — CrossFit
- Firefighter Jacob Brown and fire Chief Marvin Green — Golf
- Police officer Jesse Heath — Cycling
- Jake Kidd — Jiu-jitsu
The World Police & Fire Games took place in the Birmingham metro area June 27-July 6 with 10 days of competition, camaraderie, celebrations and cultural exchange, drawing 8,750 registrants from 72 countries around the world, officials with the games said.
This was a 20% increase in registrants from the 2023 World Police and Fire Games in Winnipeg, Canada and the 2022 games in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The top attending countries were the United States (2,670 athletes), Canada (1,020 athletes), Brazil (925 athletes) and India (555 athletes), officials said.
There were a total of 644 registrants from Alabama, and they brought home 118 medals.
Athletes competed in 65 sports at 30 venues across the metro area. In Vestavia Hills, that included bowling at Vestavia Bowl, pickleball at The Picklr, softball at the Liberty Park sports fields and lacrosse at the Sicard Hollow Athletic Complex.
“Having these Games come to the city of Birmingham and seeing firefighters and police officers from all over the world serves as a reminder that these games not only highlight the high level of competition but also showcase the high level of camaraderie between first responders,” Birmingham fire Chief Cory Moon said in a press release. “Being a part of these games has been the honor of a lifetime.”
The 2025 Games delivered a meaningful economic boost to Birmingham’s hospitality and retail sectors, officials said.
Hotel occupancy surged during what is typically a slower period for the city’s lodging industry. Downtown Birmingham hotels averaged 77% occupancy, a 42% year-over-year increase, while hotels across the Birmingham metropolitan area averaged 72% occupancy, reflecting a 21% increase.
Though final spending and economic impact figures were still being calculated, businesses across greater Birmingham reported increased foot traffic, sales and brand visibility. Hotels, short-term rentals, restaurants and transportation services also experienced heightened demand throughout the event, officials said.
There also was media coverage from multiple national and international media outlets. For example, ESPN spent two days filming pickleball, jiu jitsu and boxing, and reported live from the Firefighter Challenge as part of its “50 States in 50 Days” series.
There also were media outlets from Canada, France, Czechia, India, Indonesia and other countries broadcasting highlights, interviews and other cultural features, which elevated Birmingham’s profile as a global host city.
Factoring in the views on shared and tagged content, the BHM 2025 content reached an estimated 13 million, officials with the games said.
