It was pretty spetacular following through the pages of several firefighters fundrasing pages as to why they participate in this favorite fire service tradition – one of many fundraising events. What struck me, not only as a huge dedication to the job itself, but to the many hours of tireless workout sessions to train for this amazing stairclimb – all in the name to help another with blood cancers and other illnesses.
Every year, over 1500 firefighters sign up in record time (2013 in less than seven minutes) to participate in one of Seattle’s largest fundraising events in honor of The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) climbing the second tallest building just West of the Mississippi. It is one of the tallest in Washington State with 69-flights of stairs and a vertical elevation of 788-feet!
Firefighters work very hard to raise money through their own personal fundraising pages, asking to be supported by friends, family and anyone else who wants to help give to a well-renown charity helping research cures for blood cancers. Many “climbers” are there in honor of someone that may be close to them or are climbing in memory of a loved one. Whatever the reason, it is truly honorable for what they do every year. Some firefighters come as far away as New Zealand or from Florida.
As you look around, you will see the true spirit of brother and sisterhood banding together with one thing in common – helping raise money for the those who are tragically ill from these terrible diseases and in record timing. That’s where we get to our next topic. This is a timed-race, where firefighters will go in full gear including their bunker gear, SCBA, boots, everything you’d see out there on the fireground minus the tools and hoses – climbing up over 1300 steps to the top!
To help “encourage” them to make it to the top, photos of those who are suffering or those that have passed are shown on the stairwell walls. It has been said that this a very hard and challenging event, but so well worth it. In 2013, the Scott Firefighter Stairclimb event raised over $1.2 Million that will help the LLS with research in finding a cure for blood cancers. So many will benefit from this great fundraiser.
Here are some stats from the Event:
Top 10 Fundraisers:
1 – Boise Fire Department ($42,144.92)
2 – Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue/Local 1660 ($35,485.01)
3 – Spokane County Fire District #9 ($30,427.94)
4 – Local 2878 ($30,388.36)
5 – City of Buckley Fire Department ($27,652.59)
6 – Renton Firefighters Local 864 ($25,890.92)
7 – Bend Fire & Rescue ($25,216.40)
8 – Hanford Fire ($22,184.86)
9 – Nampa Fire Department ($21,455.36)
10 – Richland Fire Department ($20,297.40)
The Top 10 Individual Fundraisers:
1 – 
Richard Brown ($15,000.00)
2 – Timothy Woodland ($13,004.69)
3 – Dan Cecil ($7,693.00)
4 – Slim Cook ($7,375.00)
5 – David O’Connor ($6,590.00)
6 – Jasper Stenstrom ($5,633.00)
7 – Joe Paterniti ($5,499.00)
8 – Wilma Comenat ($5,270.00)
9 – Justin Smith ($5,250.00)
10 – Bill Dean ($5,153.00)
Because the media was not allowed inside the venue, we were forced to remain outside – which was perfectly fine with us as we caught up with some of our favorite firefighters on the outside.
Here are some of the highlights:
Top 10 Overall Males
| NO. | NAME | TEAM | RACE # | SEX | AGE | TIME | PACE | DIV | OVERALL | OVERALL |
| 1. | Andrew Drobeck | Missoula City Fire | 842 | M | 31 | 10:48 | :10 | 1 / 286 | 1 / 1475 | 1 / 1342 |
| 2. | Kory Burgess | Missoula Rural Fire | 856 | M | 31 | 11:02 | :10 | 2 / 286 | 2 / 1475 | 2 / 1342 |
| 3. | Benjamin Brunsvold | Missoula City Fire | 839 | M | 27 | 11:44 | :11 | 1 / 271 | 3 / 1475 | 3 / 1342 |
| 4. | Peter Kilga | West Pierce Fire & Rescue | 1582 | M | 40 | 11:48 | :11 | 1 / 160 | 4 / 1475 | 4 / 1342 |
| 5. | Paul Kimball | Spokane Valley Fire Dept | 1386 | M | 29 | 12:05 | :11 | 2 / 271 | 5 / 1475 | 5 / 1342 |
| 6. | Brent Molsberry | Everett Fire Dept Local #46 | 452 | M | 33 | 12:12 | :11 | 3 / 286 | 6 / 1475 | 6 / 1342 |
| 7. | Gt Hausner | Nampa Fire Dept | 921 | M | 42 | 12:33 | :11 | 2 / 160 | 7 / 1475 | 7 / 1342 |
| 8. | Ryan Pickering | Orting Valley Fire & Rescue | 996 | M | 35 | 12:41 | :12 | 1 / 223 | 8 / 1475 | 8 / 1342 |
| 9. | Jasper Stenstrom | North Kitsap Fire & Rescue | 970 | M | 23 | 12:49 | :12 | 1 / 169 | 9 / 1475 | 9 / 1342 |
| 10. | Dray Thompson | Boise Fire Dept | 138 | M | 35 | 12:53 | :12 | 2 / 223 | 10 / 1475 | 10 / 1342 |
Top 10 Overall Females
| CHIP | CHIP | AGE | PLACE | SEX | ||||||
| NO. | NAME | TEAM | RACE # | SEX | AGE | TIME | PACE | DIV | OVERALL | OVERALL |
| 1. | Georgia Sanz Daniels | Graham Fire & Rescue | 513 | F | 45 | 14:22 | :13 | 1 / 12 | 40 / 1475 | 1 / 133 |
| 2. | Michelle Croft | Columbia River Fire & Rescue | 1647 | F | 44 | 14:39 | :13 | 1 / 19 | 51 / 1475 | 2 / 133 |
| 3. | Jessi Nemens | Kent Fire Local 1747 | 640 | F | 32 | 16:39 | :15 | 1 / 28 | 193 / 1475 | 3 / 133 |
| 4. | Jacqueline Palmer | Las Vegas Fire & Rescue | 698 | F | 34 | 16:55 | :15 | 2 / 28 | 212 / 1475 | 4 / 133 |
| 5. | Rochelle Cristine | Snohomish Cnty Fire Dist #19 | 1240 | F | 29 | 17:16 | :16 | 1 / 26 | 253 / 1475 | 5 / 133 |
| 6. | Liz Thompson | Portland Fire & Rescue | 1070 | F | 38 | 17:58 | :16 | 1 / 18 | 330 / 1475 | 6 / 133 |
| 7. | Andrea Gruber | Lane Fire Authority | 692 | F | 26 | 18:05 | :16 | 2 / 26 | 351 / 1475 | 7 / 133 |
| 8. | Caitlin Corey | Kent Fire Local 1747 | 634 | F | 28 | 18:18 | :16 | 3 / 26 | 375 / 1475 | 8 / 133 |
| 9. | Robin Ace | Central Mat-Su Fire Dept | 205 | F | 35 | 19:04 | :17 | 2 / 18 | 466 / 1475 | 9 / 133 |
| 10. | Camari Olson | Bellevue Fire | 50 | F | 48 | 19:18 | :17 | 2 / 12 | 494 / 1475 | 10 / 133 |
Top 10 Overall Masters Males
| NO. | NAME | TEAM | RACE # | SEX | AGE | TIME | PACE | DIV | OVERALL | OVERALL |
| 1. | Peter Kilga | West Pierce Fire & Rescue | 1582 | M | 40 | 11:48 | :11 | 1 / 160 | 4 / 1475 | 4 / 1342 |
| 2. | Gt Hausner | Nampa Fire Dept | 921 | M | 42 | 12:33 | :11 | 2 / 160 | 7 / 1475 | 7 / 1342 |
| 3. | Doug Swain | Missoula Rural Fire | 866 | M | 41 | 13:17 | :12 | 3 / 160 | 16 / 1475 | 16 / 1342 |
| 4. | Scott Wyman | Bend Fire & Rescue | 77 | M | 41 | 13:20 | :12 | 4 / 160 | 19 / 1475 | 19 / 1342 |
| 5. | Chris Paul | Wenatchee Fire Dept | 1574 | M | 51 | 13:28 | :12 | 1 / 64 | 21 / 1475 | 21 / 1342 |
| 6. | Glenn Smith | Wenatchee Fire Dept | 1575 | M | 49 | 13:51 | :13 | 1 / 111 | 26 / 1475 | 26 / 1342 |
| 7. | Stan Engler | Renton Firefighters Local 864 | 1116 | M | 57 | 13:58 | :13 | 1 / 32 | 30 / 1475 | 30 / 1342 |
| 8. | Steven Wynn | Seattle Fire | 1215 | M | 46 | 14:08 | :13 | 2 / 111 | 32 / 1475 | 32 / 1342 |
| 9. | Eric Ross | Spokane City Fire Dept | 1334 | M | 47 | 14:10 | :13 | 3 / 111 | 34 / 1475 | 34 / 1342 |
| 10. | Rich Hill | Goshen Fire | 511 | M | 43 | 14:17 | :13 | 5 / 160 | 37 / 1475 |
Top 10 Overall Masters Females
| CHIP | CHIP | AGE | PLACE | SEX | ||||||
| NO. | NAME | TEAM | RACE # | SEX | AGE | TIME | PACE | DIV | OVERALL | OVERALL |
| 1. | Georgia Sanz Daniels | Graham Fire & Rescue | 513 | F | 45 | 14:22 | :13 | 1 / 12 | 40 / 1475 | 1 / 133 |
| 2. | Michelle Croft | Columbia River Fire & Rescue | 1647 | F | 44 | 14:39 | :13 | 1 / 19 | 51 / 1475 | 2 / 133 |
| 3. | Camari Olson | Bellevue Fire | 50 | F | 48 | 19:18 | :17 | 2 / 12 | 494 / 1475 | 10 / 133 |
| 4. | Julie Sisler | Polson Fire Dept | 1034 | F | 43 | 20:17 | :18 | 2 / 19 | 632 / 1475 | 17 / 133 |
| 5. | Krista Longspaugh | Marysville Fire Dist Local 3219 | 793 | F | 43 | 20:35 | :18 | 3 / 19 | 669 / 1475 | 20 / 133 |
| 6. | Pam Webber | Medford Fire-Rescue | 824 | F | 52 | 20:57 | :19 | 1 / 5 | 718 / 1475 | 23 / 133 |
| 7. | Pam Turner | Bellingham Fire Dept | 61 | F | 49 | 21:53 | :20 | 3 / 12 | 816 / 1475 | 29 / 133 |
| 8. | Marie Bussard | Bellingham Fire Dept | 57 | F | 48 | 22:12 | :20 | 4 / 12 | 857 / 1475 | 30 / 133 |
| 9. | Stephanie McGinnis | Port Of Seattle Fire | 1056 | F | 47 | 22:34 | :20 | 5 / 12 | 888 / 1475 | 35 / 133 |
| 10. | Kelly Boutry | Pierce Cnty Fire Dist #13 | 1007 | F | 43 | 22:35 | :20 | 4 / 19 | 889 / 1475 | 36 / 133 |
Top 10 Racing Chiefs by Time
| 1. | Stan Engler | Renton Firefighters Local 864 | 1116 | M | 57 | 13:58 | :13 | 1 / 32 | 30 / 1475 | 30 / 1342 |
| 2. | Rich Hill | Goshen Fire | 511 | M | 43 | 14:17 | :13 | 5 / 160 | 37 / 1475 | 37 / 1342 |
| 3. | Pat Dale | Olympia Fire Dept | 983 | M | 51 | 15:20 | :14 | 2 / 64 | 82 / 1475 | 80 / 1342 |
| 4. | Lukas Stadelmann | Fire Dept Frick Switzerland | 474 | M | 28 | 15:46 | :14 | 27 / 271 | 114 / 1475 | 112 / 1342 |
| 5. | Kevin Kalbfleisch | Lewiston Fire Dept. | 702 | M | 53 | 16:48 | :15 | 6 / 64 | 207 / 1475 | 204 / 1342 |
| 6. | Robert Edgley | Everett Fire Dept Local #46 | 445 | M | 47 | 17:32 | :16 | 17 / 111 | 276 / 1475 | 271 / 1342 |
| 7. | Rocky Eastman | Walla Walla Fire Dist #4 | 1552 | M | 44 | 17:35 | :16 | 29 / 160 | 285 / 1475 | 280 / 1342 |
| 8. | Mike Burnett | Chelan Cnty Fire #1 | 229 | M | 53 | 17:47 | :16 | 10 / 64 | 305 / 1475 | 300 / 1342 |
| 9. | Kelly Tuck | Helena Fire Dept | 580 | M | 52 | 17:54 | :16 | 11 / 64 | 323 / 1475 | 318 / 1342 |
| 10. | James Hilliard | Seattle Fire | 1197 | M | 49 | 18:03 | :16 | 21 / 111 | 342 / 1475 |
Congratulations to all that participated, were behind the scenes and rehabbed the firefighters. You all deserve a kudos for a job well done!
(c) 2013 The NW Fire Blog
Photography by LR Swenson/First Alarm Images
NW Fire Blog 