Ten Mercer Island firefighters are participating in the 26th annual Scott Firefighter Stairclimb on March 12, ascending 69 flights of stairs (1,356 steps) in the Columbia Center to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
The annual fundraiser is open solely to firefighters, and completed in full structural firefighting gear, including boots, pants, coat (liners intact), helmet, gloves and a breathing apparatus.
“As firefighters race to the top of Seattle’s tallest building, they keep in mind that every step forward is symbolic of moving towards finding a cure for all those battling a blood cancer,” according to the event’s website.