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GENERAL EVENT QUESTIONS
Who can I contact at The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society with Scott Firefighter Stairclimb related questions? For questions or additional information, please call or email 206.628.0777 or firefighterstairclimb@lls.org
Are you climbing in honor or in memory of someone?
Fill out this form by Friday February 24th and a poster will be placed in the stairwell of the person you are honoring or remembering.
Are special hotel discounts available? Yes, we will have 2014 hotel partner information available in the Fall of 2013.
Is parking available? FREE parking is available for all event participants and volunteers. The entrance to the parking lot is located on Columbia Street, between 4th and 5th avenues.
Can my friends and family attend the Scott Firefighter Stairclimb? No. Due to space limitations, spectators not are allowed inside the Columbia Center during the course of the competition. There will be a special friends & family area off-site for your guests to enjoy.
REGISTRATION QUESTIONS
When does registration open?Registration for the 2014 event will open at 9:00am PST on Thursday, November 14, 2013. Early Bird Registration (for those who raised $1,000+ in 2013) will be open November 1-13, 2013.
How do I become a Volunteer?
We will begin filling volunteer slots in January 2014. Fill out our interest form here! How does the fundraising requirement work?
Each participant must raise $300 in pledges by the fundraising deadline- Sunday, March 30, 2014. If you are unable to raise $300 by that date, participation in the 2015 Scott Firefighter Stairclimb will not be permissible. Exceptions are made for those who are unable to participate to to injury, illness, etc.
One of my team members will not be able to compete, can I swap in another team member in his/her place? Yes*, with a limit of two substitutions per team. Swaps must be facilitated by the Team Captain. Each person who wishes to compete in the Scott Firefighter Stairclimb must register as a new participant and and meet the minimum fundraising requirement on his/her own. Additional registration fees will be required. All swaps must be completed by Wednesday, February 19, 2014 by 5pm. Swaps will not be permissable the day of the event. Please email firefighterstairclimb@lls.org for more information or to facilitate a substitution. * Space is limited, swaps are permitted on a basis of availability.
BATTALION-SPECIFIC QUESTIONS
How are battalions assigned?The top 100 racers from 2013 are given automatic placement in the first and second battalion heats. All other participants will be sorted into the different heats randomly, with individuals who participated and fundraised in 2013 receiving priority placement in the earlier battalion heats.
Can my entire department race together in the same heat?No. No more than three members of any given department may participate in the same battalion heat. This rule is applied to ensure your bottle changer is not overwhelmed on Floor 40, and to offer equal opportunity across the board to all departments for battalion assignments.
What if I have a conflict with my assigned battalion heat?If you have a conflict with your assigned battalion heat, you are responsible for asking another member of your department to switch battalion assignments with you. Your Team Captain will then need to facilitate the change, authorizing us to switch the two spots in the battalion database for roll call purposes. Battalion changes will not be accepted after Friday, February 28, 2014.
How does the battalion change process work?Once battalion assignments are posted online, your Team Captain will need to contact Audra Daniels by email to facilitate the change. Team Captains will receive a confirmation that the change / switch has been made. Battalion changes will not be accepted after Friday, February 28, 2014.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
The purpose of allowing team members to switch battalion assignments is to allow participants some flexibility if they have a major conflict with their assigned time. These requests should be few and far between. In years past, numerous requests for changes have resulted in a delay of the race.
When will battalion assignments be posted?Battalion assignments will be posted mid-late February.
Equipment/Bottle Check
What equipment is required?
The race will be done in FULL structural firefighting gear: boots, pants, and coat (liners intact), helmet and gloves. Hoods will not be worn. Breathing apparatus will be worn and USED every step of the course.
Each firefighter participant is required to use gear which meets current NFPA structural firefighting standards. Gear that is not issued by your department for structural firefighting must meet NFPA 1971-2007 for structural firefighting. In the event that your fire department does not issue bunker gear, boots or helmets that comply, entrants must use the gear issued by your department that meets the next most current NFPA requirements. If the participant cannot secure compliant gear a limited supply will be on site on a first come first served basis. No modified and/or racing gear allowed.
Boots used for the event must meet NFPA 1971-2007 for structural firefighting standards. It is the responsibility of the participant to verify NFPA standards on their specific brand of boot prior to the competition. Each participant will be briefly checked prior to entering the stairwell to ensure the proper equipment is worn during the course of the event. Gear that is found to be not fire department issue, and does not meet current NFPA requirements will subject the participant to disqualification. A disqualified participant will not be eligible for any individual or team racing prizes.
Why do I need to carry photo ID?Participants must bring photo ID on the day of the event to ensure the liability waiver has been signed and to ensure accountability inside the building. We will also be checking ID to ensure only those who fundraise are actually able to participate.
I'm traveling from out-of-state and I am having trouble flying with my SCBA. Can I arrange to borrow equipment?Yes. Scott Safety will have a set number of packs and bottles available for firefighters to utilize during the course of the event. Pre-registration for this equipment is required. The reservation form will be available after the event has sold out. If you have additional questions you can e-mail firefighterstairclimb@lls.org
How does bottle change work?There will be a bottle staging area on the 40th floor for spare bottles. Since SCBA must be worn and used throughout the climb, most participants will need to get a fresh bottle at this point to successfully complete the event.
Who can be a bottle changer?Bottle changers do not need to be firefighters, but they need a working knowledge of your equipment. Teams with ten (10) or more participants may have a MAXIMUM of two (2) bottle changers at a time if needed.
Does my bottle changer need to register? No. It is not necessary for your bottle changer to register. Each department is allowed one bottle changer during the competition. Each department will receive an event t-shirt for their bottle changer for their support. The t-shirts need to be picked up by the team captain at t-shirt pick-up (photo ID will be required).
How should bottles be prepared for the event?
Each bottle must be clearly marked with your department name. Clear Helmet ID is essential - please do not abbreviate.
Where should my bottle changer check in?Bottle changers should check in at the loading dock. Bottle changers and equipment will be taken to the 40 th floor via the freight elevator in the loading dock. Each bottle changer will be given a 40 th floor clearance wristband. Without this wristband bottle changers will not be allowed to travel to the 40 thfloor- no exceptions.
Note: No longterm parking is available in the loading dock area - a third party should drop off bottle changers and equipment. Please do not bring bottles through the parking garage. Wristbands will not be given out at packet pick-up this year. Bottle changers must pick up their own wristband at the loading dock.
When should my bottle changer check in?ALL Bottle changers must be ready in the 40 th floor changing area no later than 8:30 a.m
My bottle changer can only help for half the day. Can I arrange to swap in a different bottle changer mid-way through the competition? Yes. We encourage each department to have a single bottle changer who can arrange to stay on the 40th floor the duration of the event/time the department has participants climbing. If this is not feasible for your department, you can arrange to switch bottle changers during the stairclimb. Your bottle changers will be responsible for "checking out" at bottle changer check-in in the loading dock. The replacement changer will not receive their wristband unless the first changer checks out.
When does the race start?The first firefighter will enter the stairwell at 8:30 a.m. The rest will follow at 14-second intervals.
How long will it take me to complete the race? This depends on each participant's fitness level, speed and the amount of time spent at rest areas. Top racers finish in as little as eleven minutes, while the average participant takes from 20 to 30 minutes to finish.
Are water stops available on the route? We have designated water stop teams stationed roughly every 10 floors. These stops will be on floor 20, 31, 41, 49, 57, and 65.
Can we practice at the building before the event? No. Due to safety, security and liability reasons, we cannot allow anyone in the building before the event begins.
Which direction do the stairwells wind? Counter clockwise.
Can I take a camera or video recorder up the stairs with me? No. The Columbia Center security policy prohibits cameras and video recorders in the stairwells.
What does a team captain do?In short, they are the point person for the team. Team Captains update the team's online fundraising page, serve as a point person for any battalion change requests, and pick up the team packet on race day.
When is Packet Pick Up?The Saturday, March 8th.
Please note: If a member of your department is unable to attend the stairclimb, please be sure to turn in their timing chip (included in your department packet) to the information booth on the 1st floor atrium level. Participants will be charged a $30 fee for missing chips .
When is the Team Captain meeting, and is it mandatory?There will be a mandatory team captain meeting at 8:00 a.m. on the First Floor Atrium Level. Event-specific instructions will be given and last minute questions answered.
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