Gig Harbor Firefighters Heading Up the Stairs Again Sunday

Eight firefighters from will be taking part in the 20th annual Scott Firefighter Stairclimb at Columbia Center in downtown Seattle this Sunday.

They'll join more than 1,500 firefighters from across the country, Canada and New Zealand. The climb includes 69 flights of stairs and 1,311 steps, according to a news release. The event will raise money and awareness for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

As of Friday, the fire department has raised nearly $3,700, according to the team website. Even though they have passed well above their goal of $1,000, firefighter Steve Nixon said the department appreciates any donations.

He said the Gig Harbor team has been participating in the event for 19 years. Nixon, who turns 46 next month, said this is his 18th year. As a veteran climber, he said he has been providing some advice for the younger members or the first-timers, including firefighter Eliza Hoover, who will be the first female climber to represent the department.

"We have all been training for months," he said. "It's like running a marathon. Until you get that first race under your belt, you don't know what to expect."

Nixon placed 164th overall last year and had the fastest time within the team with 16 minutes, 42.95 seconds. He said the team, whose unofficial name is "Too Stupid to Stop," hopes all members will complete this year's race in less than 20 minutes.

"There is always a wager on the table and bragging rights for a year," he said. "The old guys love to beat the young guys, and as a group it is an awesome event with a lot of support and encouragement for our team members from each other."

He said one of the biggest challenges with climbing the stairs while bearing 50 pounds of full firefighting gear and breathing apparatus is pushing the limits, both physically and mentally.

"It's tough to deal with all the stuff that tells you to stop," he said. "As the race goes on, the staircase becomes hot and uncomfortable due to poor ventilation."

In addition to Nixon, the following first responders will be participating this Sunday: Brian Stokke, Keith Goodmansen, Peter Kauppila, Brad Harris, Layton Randahl, Bren Corcoran, Eliza Hoover, Marcin Szczepanski and Michael Dumas. Check back Sunday afternoon as we will post the results from the race.

Here are the results from last year's race:

223

17:13.50

If you'd like to donate to the cause, go to www.firefighterstairclimb.org and click on "Donate." Select the team option and type in, Gig Harbor Fire. You can donate to the team or an individual climber.