SEATTLE — Firefighters from across the North Olympic Peninsula have trekked up the 1,356 steps of the Columbia Center in Seattle to fight leukemia and lymphoma.
Participants in the Scott Firefighter Stairclimb Challenge were required to wear full structural firefighter gear, including boots, pants, coat, helmet, gloves and breathing apparatus, as they climbed up 788 feet on Sunday.
Last year, the stairclimb raised $2.3 million for the Leukemia &Lymphoma Society.
The climb up the 69 flights of stairs is grueling, said Port Angeles Fire Department firefighter Daniel Montana, but it’s a chance for him to fight back against the diseases.
“The reason I started doing the climb is because I’ve had it affect my family,” said Montana, who is in his eighth year of the climb.
He lost three family members to leukemia and has two others battling lymphoma, he said.
He was joined by more than 1,900 firefighters from across the world for the 26th annual Scott Firefighter Stairclimb on Sunday, and many of them have also been touched by the diseases in one way or another, he said.
“Everybody has a story like that,” he said. “It gives everyone an event to do something against a disease that has no predictable outcomes, where you feel completely powerless over it.”
Montana, team captain for the Port Angeles Stairclimbers, is one of about 30 firefighters from the North Olympic Peninsula who participated.
The Port Angeles Stairclimbers is made up of firefighters from Port Angeles Fire Department, Clallam County Fire District No. 2, Clallam County Fire District No. 4 and Seattle Fire Department.
Firefighters from Clallam County Fire District No. 3, East Jefferson Fire-Rescue and Port Ludlow Fire &Rescue also participated in the climb.
The climb is anything but easy, Montana said.
There’s no rest, and the firefighting gear makes it hot and difficult to breath.
Most firefighters take between 17 and 25 minutes to make it to the top of the tower, he said.
At every landing — there’s two per floor — participants see photos of someone who survived either of the diseases or photos in memory of someone who lost their fight, Montana said.
While it’s a test of endurance, firefighters are all participating for the same reason, he said.
“The ultimate goal is to raise money for the Leukemia &Lymphoma Society to help with treatment,” he said.
The Leukemia &Lymphoma Society has invested more than $1 billion to develop cancer therapies and advance the production and application of drug treatments.
The Port Angeles Stairclimbers have nearly met their goal of raising $10,000 for the cause. Since November, the team has raised $8,500, Montana said.
“This is [likely] going to be our best fundraising year so far,” he said.
The team is able to accept donations through the end of the month. To donate, visit www.facebook.com/HelpPAFirefightersBeatCancer.
While it’s firefighters climbing the stairs at the Columbia Center, it’s the community that makes the effort possible, he said.
The team, which started training and fundraising in November, has seen support from athletic teams from Stevens Middle School, Port Angeles High School and Peninsula College, Montana said.
His most memorable fundraising moment though, he said, was when four girls from Stevens held a bake sale and presented the team with $150.
“I can’t thank the town of Port Angeles, schools, coaches, athletes and everybody enough who has been so completely supportive of this stairclimb,” he said. “If it wasn’t for the support it would just be me climbing the stairs by myself.”
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Reporter Jesse Major can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56250, or at jmajor@peninsuladailynews.com.
