Firefighters from the Medford Fire Department are preparing for the annual Seattle Firefighter Stairclimb, a fundraising event that supports blood cancer research and patient services through Blood Cancer United.
The stair climb takes place inside Seattle’s Columbia Center, where firefighters climb more than 1,300 steps while wearing full protective gear and breathing apparatus. The event is scheduled for March 8 and brings together about 2,000 firefighters from across the country and around the world.
Captain John Peterson has participated in the stair climb for more than 20 years. He says supporting cancer patients and coming together with firefighters from across the country is what keeps him returning year after year.
“All of the money that we raise, we actually give to the Leukemia Lymphoma Society,” Peterson said. “Every dollar that we bring in goes to them, and that money goes to research, helping families, paying for medical bills and all that kind of stuff.”
Peterson says firefighters begin training months in advance to prepare for the physically demanding climb. Participants wear roughly 50 pounds of gear as they ascend 69 flights of stairs, a challenge that typically takes 15 to 20 minutes to complete.
Funds raised through the stair climb support blood cancer research, patient assistance programs, and family support services. The event raises about $3 million each year, with more than $1 million already collected so far this year.
