By Marisa Dawson, Photos by Marisa Dawson from 2025 event
The annual Guns & Hoses Hockey Challenge is back, turning the rink at Baxter Arena into a battlefield of friendly rivalry between law enforcement and firefighters. On Sunday, March 15, at 3 p.m., the blue team of police officers and the red team of firefighters and EMS personnel will lace up for fast-paced hockey, all in support of a vital cause.
The event raises funds for the First Responders Foundation, which provides behavioral health services and clinician-led programs to help first responders process the traumatic situations they face on the job. Chris Sorensen, assistant captain of the red fire team and Council Bluffs Fire assistant chief, explained the shift in how these experiences are handled. In the past, first responders were simply expected to handle whatever they encountered… “Just internally process those things,” Sorensen said. The foundation’s clinicians now offer better ways to help first responders, as Sorensen puts it, “to process those things in a way that will not linger and create problems in the future.”
For the players, the game is about more than the scoreboard. Sorensen, who has suited up for the red team for years, reminisced on the joy of it built around locker-room camaraderie with colleagues from multiple departments. Most players stay sharp through league games or drop-in sessions, with teams squeezing in a few practices closer to game day. Officer Matt Backora of the Omaha Police Department’s investigations unit, a longtime blue-team member, echoed that pride. “It’s a tremendous honor to be asked to play,” he said, noting the joy of having his wife and kids watch him compete in front of a big crowd. The blue team practices about once a month year-round to build that team chemistry.
The rivalry is real on the ice, sometimes leading to heated moments and genuine (not staged) fights, but it stays friendly off it. “We work well during our professional time on the job,” Backora said, “but once we hit the ice… we’re out there to win the game just for the bragging rights.” Sorensen added that while things can get physical along the boards, “as soon as that’s over with, then we’re just back to being on the same team again.”
Beyond the action on the ice, the afternoon is designed as a full family celebration of first responders. Organizers park law enforcement and fire vehicles outside, set up vendor booths with giveaways, a Kids Zone, and even a chuck-a-puck intermission game. Families can meet officers and firefighters, see police canines and horses, and soak up the community spirit. “It is really a full first responders event,” Sorensen emphasized. Backora hopes attendees see a different side of the men and women who serve. “They see a different side of law enforcement from that perspective,” he said of typical public encounters. “It gives us a personality and a little bit of a human aspect to it.”
Both players stressed the deeper importance of the day. Sorensen noted that everyday interactions with police or fire often happen on someone’s worst day, so events like this build trust ahead of time. Backora hopes fans walk away remembering that first responders “enjoy life’s pleasures like anybody else… we fight hard on the ice… but we walk away still professionals” who serve their community.
Tickets are available through the Baxter Arena box office or online at: https://www.baxterarena.com/event/guns-hoses-hockey/
Doors open an hour before puck drop.
Whether you’re cheering for blue or red, bring the kids, make a creative sign, and join the fun. The real winners are the first responders who get the mental-health support they deserve, and the stronger community bonds forged along the way. See you on the ice!
