By Tom Rohrer
1,311 steps, 69 flights of stairs, and 788 feet of vertical elevation.
That is what stands between the bottom and top of the Columbia Center (formerly the Bank of America Tower) in downtown Seattle, the second tallest building west of the Mississippi River.
While those are staggering dimensions, it has not stopped the South Bay Fire Department from participating in the Scott Firefighter Stairclimb, an annual fundraiser, for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The event, in its 22nd year, is scheduled for Sunday, March 10.
In 2012, the South Bay Fire Department Team was one of over 290 departments from across the United States (and from countries such as Sweeden, Germany and Canada) to participate in the Stairclimb, which featured 1,550 firefighters and raised an event record $1.2 million for blood cancer research and patient services.
Featuring Brent McBride, Sean Murphy, Becci Syrek, Jeff Beaulieau and Ben Dicke, the South Bay Fire Department Team has ranked in the top fifteen for fundraising each year they have participated. The group is nearing a total of $60,000 since beginning in 2007.
“We’ve set high goals for fundraising,” McBride said in an interview with ThurstonTalk.com. “It’s a great sense of accomplishment for everyone involved and the entire department to be helping such a great cause.”
Climbing nearly 70 flights of stairs would be a challenge in shorts and a t-shirt, but the firefighters must perform the feat wearing over 80 pounds of gear. McBride, who will be undergoing the climb for the fifth year, noted his personal best took just over 27 minutes. That was certainly not performed on his first attempt.
“The first year, it was pretty challenging mentally and I was not prepared,” McBride said. “The stairways are narrow, there are no windows. It’s not like a marathon where you have people cheering you on.”
Dicke, who will be climbing for the fourth time on Sunday, had a similar experience his first go around.
“The most challenging thing for me was to remember to pace myself,” said Dicke, who estimated his best time was just over 32 minutes. “It was very daunting to see the floor numbers every floor. You can’t help but to calculate each level you go up.”
While the journey up can be challenging, it is still a rewarding experience that brings together firefighters from different departments, and allows those who reach the top to take in a spectacular view.
“It feels great, especially when it’s sunny, to see the whole city for twenty miles,” McBride said. “But on the way up, there are other firefighters around, and we cheer each other on. There is a lot of camaraderie.”
“After the first year, it’s been a fun challenge for me,” Dicke said. “Even while I’m climbing, I really appreciate the journey.”
Both McBride and Dicke, like a majority of citizens across the world, have seen the devastating effects of leukemia and lymphoma. Last year, McBride’s great uncle died of leukemia, and he also lost his grandmother to breast cancer. Dicke’s cousin perished from lymphoma, and past team members have seen loved ones and friends pass away as well.
“It’s very important to me, obviously since it hit so close to home, but so many people are affected everywhere,” Dicke said.
“Of course that adds to the motivation,” McBride said. “It’s hard not to think about. You feel a push to keep going. Everyone who does it really completes it for someone they know or love.”
That motivation keeps pushing the team through extra training in preparation for the climb. McBride noted that the training is done almost entirely on an individual basis and involves – not surprisingly – a lot of time on the Stairmaster.
“Oh it’s a lot of repetitive training, just using the (Stairmaster) over and over again,” McBride said.
“You just put on the gear and simulate the situation as best as you can,” Dicke noted. “It can get a little tedious but again, it’s healthy, and really, not that challenging when you think about the cause it’s helping.”
While the team does place wagers, such as dinner at a nice restaurant, on who will finish with a better time, the motivation all comes back to the fundraising efforts.
“I know the team or I won’t be fastest to get to top, but our goal individually is to be close to the top in fundraising,” McBride said. ‘I usually am in the top two consistently across Thurston County for fundraising.”
“It’s pretty amazing that we’ve raised more money than everyone else in Thurston County combined,” Dicke added.
So when the South Bay Fire Department Firefighters stare above at the seemingly endless journey in front of them, they know they have the motivation to make it all the way to the top.
“It’s just a great event, lots of fun and I enjoy doing it,” McBride said. “Maybe not all the time while I’m competing, but halfway there I remember why I’m there.”
This year, the South Bay Fire Department Team has raised $8,487 for the Stairclimb and are continuing to work toward this year’s goal of $11,557. Donations are accepted until Friday, March 29. For more information, click here.
