A sweltering afternoon brought out even more heat, Saturday, along with a jovial community crowd as Dave’s Hot Chicken along Wheeler Road hosted the Augusta Fire Department’s first Fire Fest.
Fire Chief Antonio Burden and a cadre of firefighters joined Build Different Brands, the company that franchises the local Dave’s Hot Chicken location, to coordinate the community fundraiser.
The event entailed firefighters contending to win the 5-Alarm Reaper Challenge, in which competitors endure wolfing down plates of chicken made with the famously (or infamously) spicy Carolina Reaper sauce, as a crowd of onlookers and restaurant patrons cheered them on.
The event was complemented by a DJ providing the proper ambience (the early-2000’s rap staple “Hot in Here” by Nelly earned its place in the rotation), and a safety bounce house for kids in attendance to have fun exploring while catching fire safety tips.
A portion of the Dave’s Hot Chicken’s proceeds amid the event went toward buying smoke detectors for local families in need.
Dave’s Hot Chicken is located at 1102 Truist Ave., near the intersection of Wheeler Road and Agerton Lane…