Curing Kids Cancer’s annual Fire Truck Pull in Columbia rolled to another year of success in 2026 as roughly $50,000 was raised to benefit area research for pediatric cancers and cures.
Twenty-seven teams competed in this year’s competition on Saturday morning March 28. For the second straight spring the event took place in its new home in downtown Columbia near Hampton and Main streets.
The Columbia-Richland Fire Department was proud to once again provide the fire engines and the staff to make the contest possible.
“The competition truly gets our members excited each spring,” said Columbia-Richland Fire Chief Aubrey D. Jenkins, “Not only are our firefighters eager to get a team together and try for the best pull time but they also take a great deal of pride in showing support for kids who are fighting for their very lives. We are grateful to our partners at Curing Kids Cancer for inviting us to collaborate on this idea thirteen years ago and we love that it has done so much good for the kids and their families.”
“Every year, this event means more to us than words can fully express—not just as an organization, but as a family,” said Grainne Owen, co-founder and CEO of Curing Kids Cancer. “We started this work in honor of my son, Killian, and it’s incredibly moving to see this community continue to show up for us year after year. Their compassion and support mean everything to us. Because of them, we’re able to fund lifesaving research right here in South Carolina that leads to individualized treatments for children—giving families real hope and more precious time. It means that other families may not have to walk the same heartbreaking path we did. This amazing gift of hope we can give to the children and their families is priceless!”
Members of the Irmo Fire District took home this year’s top prize for pull time. ‘Irmo Fire Strongmen Pulling for Logan’ pulled one of the fire engines down a stretch of the street in 17.68 seconds. ‘Michelin Yellow Pulling for Charlie’ finished with the second best pull time at 18.97 seconds.
Irmo Fire Strongmen Pulling for Logan
Every team that took part in the event pulled in support of or in memory of a child who has been touched by cancer.
‘Teagan’s Tribe’ recorded the highest amount in donations raised and two teams would be recognized for their creative costumes: ‘Curella’s Crew Pulling for Jackson and DeVill’s Dogs Pulling for Arianna.’
All proceeds raised from the event will go to fund pediatric cancer research at Prisma Health Children’s Hospital–Midlands, which is leading the charge in innovative treatments for childhood cancers.
