More than 2,000 firefighters from across the United States (26 states) and around the world (6 countries) converged in Seattle for the annual Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Firefighter Stairclimb held at the Columbia Center on March 10, 2019. This is the world’s largest on-air stair climb competition. The largest department represented at this year’s climb was SEATTLE FIRE with 75 firefighters participating.
This year, LLS was excited to welcome special guest TV and movie actor David Eigenberg. Mr. Eigenberg plays firefighter Christopher Herrmann on NBC’s hit show Chicago Fire and is also known for his recurring role as Steve Brady in the HBO series Sex and the City. Mr. Eisenberg climbed the stairs in full gear along side his firefighter brothers and sisters on Sunday as well.
Now in its 28th year, the stair climb’s purpose remains relevant and crystal clear; to raise life-saving funds for LLS’s mission to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma and improve the lives of patients and their families.
Leading up to the event, firefighters raise funds in a wide variety of ways, from chili cook-offs to fill-the-boot fund drives and much more. Dollars raised get invested in life-saving medical research as well as critical support services for blood cancer patients and their families. In 2018, this group of phenomenal climbers brought in a record $2.61 million. Now in its 28th year, this event has raised more than $17 million for patient support and cancer research.
At 788 feet of vertical elevation, the Columbia Center in downtown Seattle stands as one of the tallest buildings west of the Mississippi and is the tallest in Seattle. It takes 69 floors of stairs and 1,356 steps to reach the highly acclaimed Sky View Observatory overlooking the Emerald City. While competing, firefighters wear full bunker gear weighing up to 60 pounds, and top finishers reach the finish line in just over 11 minutes. This year’s fastest male firefighter was Derek Sherrell- Kingsley Field Fire Department- 11:03. This year’s fastest female was Michelle Croft- Columbia River Fire & Rescue- 15:08.
This consistently sold-out event is open solely to career or volunteer firefighters who complete this challenging course in full structural turnout gear, while on-air. Completing the climb is a physical triumph in itself, but is also symbolic of the strenuous journey that blood cancer patients endure. As firefighters race to the top, they keep in mind that every step forward represents moving toward finding a cure for all those battling this terrible disease.
For more information about the LLS Firefighter Stairclimb, visit www.firefighterstairclimb.org
