• Event Date: Sunday, March 10th, 2024
• Event location: Columbia Center: 701 5th Ave, Seattle, WA
• Check-in begins: 0600 PDT.
• Free, all-day, on-site parking is available in the Columbia Center garage. Height limit: 6'0".
• All participants must check-in off of the 4th Avenue entrance. If you park in the Columbia Center parking garage and take the elevators into the building, you will be directed by volunteers to exit and then queue up in the check-in line off of 4th Ave.
• All media must check-in off of 5th Avenue (main lobby level).
• All Bottle Changers and Volunteers must check-in at the Loading Dock, located off of Columbia St., next to the Parking Garage entrance.
• Due to security restrictions and extremely limited space capacity, no friends or family are allowed in the building unless they are a registered volunteer, registered bottle changer, sponsor, or registered departmental Honoree.
• Opening Ceremonies: 0730 - 0800 PDT. Held on the 1st floor of the Columbia Center.
• First Battalion (start wave) enters the stairwell at 0800 PDT.
• Remaining battalions run from 0830 - approx. 1700 PDT. Climbers are released into the stairwell at 12-30 second intervals. All climbers are pre-assigned a start time.
• Participants may pick up their event t-shirt on the 1st floor at the t-shirt table.

• Early Bird Registration: Sept. 11-15, 2023. Begins at 0900 PDT on 9/11, closes at 1700 on 9/15. Only available to those who raised $1,800+ during the previous year's event. All Early Bird qualifiers will be emailed a link to register on the morning of 9/11.
• General Registration: September 21, 2023, 0900 PDT. REMINDER: Registration typically sells out in less than half an hour upon opening.
• Swap/Drop Deadline: 2.9.2024
• Honoree Registration Deadline: 2.9.2024
• Battalion Change Request Deadline: 02.23.2024
• Waitlist Closes: 2.23.2024
• Dedication Sign Submission Deadline: 2.23.2024
• SCBA Reservation Deadline: 2.23.2024 - all Team Captains will be emailed a link to reserve borrowed SCBA from 3M Scott Safety for their team.
• Bottle Changer Registration Deadline:2.23.2024 - all Team Captains will be emailed link to register their team's bottle changer(s).
• Elite 30 Qualifier Deadline: 3.6.2024
• Packet Pick-up: 3.9.2024 from 0900-1600 PT. Location: Courtyard by Marriott Seattle Downtown/Pioneer Square. 612 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA 98104. Only Team Captains can pick up their entire team's packets.
• EVENT DAY: 3.10.2024.
• VIP & Incentive Store Qualification Deadline: 4.12.2024
• Climbs VIP Awards Ceremony: Date TBD - Seattle, WA
• Final Fundraising Deadline & 2024 Early Bird Qualifier Deadline : 6.27.2024

• All participants will be emailed their assigned time in February, prior to the event date.
• The first few battalions are assigned based on previous year's top fastest racers, the current year's top fundraisers, and placement of the Survivor Battalion (participants and members of the fire service who are blood cancer patients and survivors). All battalions after are assigned based on the current year's fundraising level by 2/9/2024.
• A maximum of three team members of any given department are allowed to climb in the same battalion heat.This rule is to ensure that your team's bottle changer is not overwhelmed on the Bottle Change Floor, and to offer equal opportunity across the board to all departments for battalion assignments.
• If you have a serious conflict with your assigned battalion time, please submit a battalion time change request by clicking here. We will do our best to accommodate requests based on necessity & availability. There is no guarantee your time will be changed. We first recommend asking a fellow department member to switch spots with you if you are unable to make your assigned time. All participants must submit their requests by the Battalion Change Request Deadline of 2/23/24.
• All participants will be emailed their finishing race time within an hour of their timing chip crossing the finish line.

• Throughout the 69 floor course, most climbers require the use of two oxygen tanks to complete the climb. Air tanks may be swapped out only on the Bottle Change Floor in the designated Bottle Change room by event-provided volunteers or your team's registered Bottle Changer(s). Once the change is complete, you will be directed back into the stairwell to finish the climb. Your timing chip does not stop during bottle change.
• If you are confident that you will be able to complete the course on only one bottle of air, you may skip the bottle change floor. Please keep in mind that you will be disqualified from racing awards if you do not complete the whole course while on-air.
• Bottle changers can be registered participants (who volunteer when they are not climbing), other firefighters, or civilians who have a working knowledge of how to change a bottle. Firefighters preferred.
• Bottle Changer registration deadline: 2.23.2024 All Team Captains will be emailed instructions on how to register their Bottle Changer(s) in February.
• Bottle Changers MUST be registered prior to the event and bring a photo ID with them on event day for the check-in process.
• Bottle Changers MUST be 18 years of age or older, and experienced in changing bottles.
• If you do not register a bottle changer by the deadline, you will be required to use a fellow participant. They do not need to be from your departmental team. If your assigned climb times are far enough apart, this is a common practice amongst participants.
• If you are the only member climbing from your department and do not have a personal bottle changer available to assist, please refer to the Solo Climber section below.

Rules:

• Each team is limited to 1 bottle changer on the Bottle Change Floor at a time during the event. Teams with ten or more climbers may have a maximum of 2 bottle changers at a time.
• All Bottle Changers must check-in at the building's loading dock (even if you are also a registered participant), located off of Columbia St., next to the parking garage entrance.
• At check-in, each Bottle Changer will be given a wristband for building access.
• Within one hour of a climber's assigned battalion time, the designated bottle changer may check back in at the loading dock to receive a lanyard for Bottle Change Floor clearance. This lanyard must be worn at all times on the Bottle Change Floor, and will be traded for ID at the check-in desk. Once your shift is up, you will be required to return your lanyard to the bottle change desk back in the loading dock.
• Once checked-in, bottle changers will be responsible for assisting in carrying their team's equipment via the freight elevators to the Bottle Change Floor. Once on the Bottle Change Floor, bottle changers will watch for their climber(s) to exit the stairwell and swap out their air bottle as quickly as possible. Bottle Changers are responsible for removing their team's empty tanks from the Bottle Change Floor.
• All registered bottle changers will be given an event t-shirt that must be picked up by the associated Team Captain at T-Shirt Pickup on the first floor.

SCBA:

• All climbers are required to complete the course while on-air.
• Participants who are coming from out of town are allowed to borrow two air bottles and SCBA on event day from 3M Scott Safety who will be on site.
• All registered Team Captains will be emailed in February with a link to reserve bottles & SCBA for the team.
• NOTE: 3M Scott Safety does not have enough gear on-site for all participants to borrow. Please only reserve loaner gear if absolutely needed (e.g. flying from out of town, department will not permit use of gear in competition, etc.).
• The 3M Scott Safety air trailers will be stationed off of 4th Avenue for gear pickup and returns.

Labeling Gear

• Ensure all air bottles are clearly marked with your department name.
• If your helmet shield includes abbreviations or does not have a legible department name, you must label your helmet for identification on the bottle change floor. Volunteers will be calling out your department name as you exit the stairwell to ensure your bottle changer can easily recognize who they are to assist. LABELING EXAMPLE HERE.

Fire Division (Turnouts):

• All participants in the Fire Division must complete the course in full structural gear including boots, pants, coat (liners intact), and helmet. Hoods will not be worn, and gloves are not required. Breathing apparatus will be worn and used every step of the course.
• Each Fire Division 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.
• No modified and/or racing gear allowed in the Fire Division.
• 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 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.
• All gear worn at the event must have gone through proper decontamination procedure, or you will not be allowed to proceed through the Gear Check area and be allowed to climb.

Open Division (No Turnouts):

• All participants in the Open Division may complete the course in any apparel and shoes; athletic gear strongly recommended. They are required to wear their helmet. Breathing apparatus will be worn and used every step of the course.
• All attire worn at the event must be clean, or you will not be allowed to proceed through the Gear Check area and be allowed to climb.

• Participants who are the only member representing their department are considered "Solo Climbers", and their own Team Captain.
• All Solo Climbers are required to check in at the Columbia Center's loading dock after they have checked-in and received their race packet and wristband for building clearance. If you need to borrow gear from 3M Scott Safety as well, please do this before proceeding to the loading dock.
• In the loading dock staff and volunteers will mark your borrowed air bottles and your helmet with neon flagging tape. This will indicate to volunteer bottle changers on the Bottle Change Floor that you are in need of assistance. They will change your bottle, and send you back into the stairwell to finish the race.

• Firefighters must participate with their associated department.
• If two or more departments want to form a single team, they will no longer be eligible for team prizes, incentives or swap entries.
• All team names must be related to the participating department.

• Start/Finish line photos of the 2023 event can be found HERE
• 2023 Race Results can be found HERE
• The fastest finishing time in the LLS Firefighter Stairclimb's history is held by Craig Smith of Burnaby Fire, who finished the course in only 10 minutes and 38 seconds in 2023.
• The list of top finishers since 1992 can be found HERE.

• If you are no longer able to participate in the event please let staff know by emailing firefighterstairclimb@lls.org. Staff will deactivate your account and you will not be held to the $300/person fundraising minimum if you drop out by the swap/drop deadline.
• If you are dropping out and have a fellow department member who wishes to take your place, they'll need to fill out the Swap Form and send to event staff. Each person swapping in will be required to pay a $25 swap fee and will be held accountable for meeting the $300/person fundraising minimum in order to climb. The original participant will not be refunded their initial registration fee.
• There is a limit of 5 swaps per team, and swaps can only occur with fellow department members. E.g. a Seattle Fire Department member cannot swap out for a member of Everett Fire Department. If you do not have a fellow department member who can take your place, your open spot will be given to someone on the Waitlist.
• If you drop out of the event after the swap/drop deadline, you will still be required to meet the fundraising minimum of $300/person by the final fundraising deadline. If you do not meet this minimum by the deadline, you will not be allowed to climb in the following year's event.

Venue Rules

• No pets, alcohol, firearms, or weapons are allowed at the event.
• There is no practicing allowed in the building stairwells prior to the event.
• No family or friends are allowed in the building on event day. Due to extremely limited space capacity, to ensure the safety of our first responders, and at the request of Columbia Center security & management, only registered participants, registered bottle changers, registered volunteers, registered departmental honorees, sponsors and vendors are allowed in the building.
• Lost & Found will be held at the Information table on the 1st floor of the building. Any items found and not picked up by the end of event day will be taken back to the LLS office located at 5601 6th Ave. South, Suite 182, Seattle, WA 98108, and held for 30 days. If you would like to inquire about a potentially lost item post-event, please contact us at firefighterstairclimb@lls.org.

Race Course

• It takes 69 floors, 1,356 steps, and 788 ft. vertical elevation gain to reach the Sky View Observatory on the 73rd floor (finish line).
• Time it takes to complete the race is entirely dependent upon each participant's fitness level, speed, and amount of time spent resting. Top racers have finished in as little as sub-eleven minutes, while the average participant takes 30+ minutes to finish.
• In compliance with Columbia Center security policies, cameras and video recorders (such as helmet GoPros) are not allowed in the stairwells.
• This is an extremely physically challenge course. If you need to take a breather while in the stairwell, please step to the right side of the stairwell or pause on a landing.
• If you need to pass a fellow climber, keep in mind that many participants wear earbuds during the race. Tap them on their left shoulder, and pass on the left.
• Volunteers will be staffing water stops at 6 locations throughout the stairwell.
• EMTs are located at all six water stops, and paramedics are located at the Bottle Change and top floor/finish line.
• The stairwell winds counterclockwise.
• Upon completion of the race, you will be provided with water and ample time to rest with a 360 degree view of Seattle.
• All finished participants will take the elevators back down to the lower levels, where recovery snacks can be found, and you can rejoin your fellow teammates.

• Participants are welcome to use the LLS Firefighter Stairclimb event logo on their own marketing/fundraising materials. Email firefighterstairclimb@lls.org to make a request. The logo may not be altered in format or distorted in size.
• Event posters, postcards, stickers, tattoos, boot & can wrappers are available as free fundraising materials. Simply fill out the form HERE

• The LLS Firefighter Stairclimb partners with Marriott Hotels in Seattle to provide discounts to registered participants at three locations: The Renaissance, the Seattle Marriott Waterfront, and the Courtyard Marriott at Pioneer Square.
• The Renaissance and Courtyard hotels are within a few blocks of the Columbia Center. All hotels will be donating a portion of each room booked back to LLS, so we appreciate you choosing one of our host hotels!
• Information regarding booking these hotels will be included in participant's confirmation email upon successfully registering. Don't forget to book early to secure a spot!

• Official 2019 event photos HERE, courtesy of Sarah Alston Photography.
• View and purchase start and finish line photos of the 2019 LLS Firefighter Stairclimb HERE, courtesy of Evan Pilchik Photography.

• As a health organization, the well-being of the patients we serve especially the many immunocompromised blood cancer patients - as well as our staff, volunteers, partners, and attendees at our events is our top priority. LLS vigilantly follows CDC and local public health guidelines, and decisions are being made based on each local community. With these priorities in mind, LLS will be offering in-person meetings and fundraising events as appropriate.
• The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is moving forward with planning an in-person 2024 LLS Firefighter Stairclimb on March 10, 2024 at the Columbia Center. We are enhancing our protocols for in-person events to ensure we provide the healthiest environments possible. We will also work to ensure all safety precautions are in place to support our attendees.
• We will also work to ensure all safety precautions are in place to support our attendees. LLS is evaluating our event “high touch” and “high capacity” areas to keep you safe and will be creating social procedures to be implemented at each in-person event.
• We also will be following the state and King County safety guidelines.