Firefighters Participate in Stairclimb for Cause

Four members of the Mt. Baldy Volunteer Fire Department Station 200 are taking on a different type of challenge. Firefighters Graham Hendrickson, Dan Glick, Christian Klein and Blake Hendrickson will be participating in the 24th Annual Scott Firefighter Stairclimb on March 8 in Seattle, Wash. The Scott Firefighter Stairclimb is hosted by the Columbia Center Tower and is an opportunity for almost 2,000 firefighters worldwide to test themselves on the 69-flight event course in support of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s mission to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Volunteer Fire Chief Graham Hendrickson first became involved in 2013 when he was asked to fill in for a member of the San Bernardino City Fire team. The following year he formed a team with three other members of his department when they expressed interest. Since 2013 the Station 200 team has raised over $4,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Wearing up to 50 pounds of gear including a helmet, fireproof coat and pants, a breathing apparatus and air tanks used to fight fires, these firefighters will climb The Columbia Tower all the way up to the observation deck. Participants conquer 1,311 steps and 788 feet of vertical elevation to reach the top, beat their personal best and fulfill the motto: Climb. Conquer. Cure. The Scott Firefighter Stairclimb has raised close to $10 million since its inception, funds that have helped in treating patients with blood cancers. To learn more about the team or to make a donation, visit their team page at http://www.llswa.org/site/TR/Events/FirefighterStairclimb?team_id=58297&pg=team&fr_id=1453.