The Jefferson City fire and police departments will go head-to-head in the first Guns N Hoses Hockey Game later this month.
The hockey game will start at 7 p.m. Aug. 24 at Washington Park Ice Arena, 711 Kansas St.
The Fire Department's union, Local 671, and the Police Department's union, the Jefferson City Fraternal Order of Police, previously hosted Guns N Hoses football games at Lincoln University. However, the unions haven't hosted one of those games in years, Local 671 Vice President James Noah and FOP member Collier Nichols said.
The two unions wanted to host a unique competitive game and decided to use the local ice arena. It's also a way to capitalize on the St. Louis Blues winning the Stanley Cup in June, Noah said.
"There's several members of the FOP and the locals that played all aspects of hockey, from pond hockey to roller hockey to actually playing youth-league hockey and junior hockey, so there's a little bit of a challenge base there with some of the players not having any hockey experience. So it's a good neutral event, well balanced among players," he said.
It's also a way for both unions to have a friendly rivalry, Noah and Nichols said.
"We pretty routinely see law enforcement and fire work on scenes and trainings, things like that, so we already have the cohesion there," Noah said. "There's the friendly rivalry, but at the end of the day, we're very respectful of each other and respect what we do and the job we do."
Tickets cost $10, and children 8 and younger get free admission. Tickets are available at the ice arena and The Linc, 1299 Lafayette St. Those interested can also purchase tickets from the fire and police department unions members.
Audience members can indicate whether they are Team Guns, Team Hoses or Team Neutral by purchasing blue, red or gray T-shirts, long-sleeved shirts, hoodies and sweatshirts for the event, which can be pre-ordered at stores.inksoft.com/guns_n_hoses/shop/home. T-shirts cost $10, long-sleeved shirts cost $15, sweatshirts cost $20 and hoodies cost $25.
The last day to pre-order shirts is Monday. There will be a limited number of shirts for sale at the hockey game.
The two unions will hold a pre-game community barbecue at 5 p.m., where community members can pick up shirts and meet firefighters and police officers.
There are also various levels of sponsorship, Nichols said. Those interested in sponsorships can contact members of the union or the JCMO Guns N Hoses Facebook page at facebook.com/jcmogunsnhoses.
All proceeds will go to SafetyNet, which supports families of first responders who died in the line of duty.
"We really want to bring the community out and support local first responders because that's what SafetyNet is all about, is supporting local first responders and their families if something were to happen to a first responder," Nichols said. "So we thought this would be a great, fun unique way to get the community engaged and involved in SafetyNet's goal and cause and represent both the unions and agencies as well."