Climb. Conquer. Cure. 2024 Seattle Stairclimb

69 Flights I 1,356 Steps I 788 Ft. Vertical Elevation

It’s that time of the year I beg for money from all my committed supporters in order to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as part of the Seattle Firefighter Stairclimb.  Things seem to change a bit every year its going to be a pretty significant mix up in 2024. 

Firefighters get cancer, a lot of cancer.  Cancer at about 1.4x the rate of the general public and with some cancer its twice the risk.  Being that firefighters are a fairly healthy demographic these numbers are distressing.  Montana is a pretty small group of firefighters and every year we see at least one cancer death.  This year lung cancer took one of our mid 40 year old firefighters in Great Falls.  His young kids will now grow up without a dad and his wife will have to raise them without the support of her husband.  The increased risk comes from the shit in smoke, particularly when glues, plastics, and synthetic materials burn.  And now they’ve found that our turnout gear even brand new out of the box has incredibly high concentrations of chemicals (PFAS) in it that over a career can kill us.  Its making big headlines and you may have caught wind of it in People magazine, NPR, or other news outlets that have picked up the story.  As firefighters we’re happy to risk our lives to save the life of another, but mitigating unnecessary risk is always in the equation.  We can’t keep doing what we’re doing by just accepting that cancer is part of the job.

With this we have to mitigate risk wherever possible and it’s non sensible to wear our turnout gear when there isn’t a risk of thermal injury.  Therefore, the Stairclimb has for the first time given firefighters the option of not wearing turnouts at this year’s climb.  Firefighters will have the option of business as usual (full gear and breathing apparatus while on air) or another division wearing only a helmet and breathing apparatus while on air.  Both divisions are still competitive and will be timed and ranked

The Fire Service is slow to change and there’s a bravado and identity around our turnout gear.  Many will continue business as usual at the climb this year but I won’t and the majority of Missoula’s team won’t either.  We’re at the stairclimb to fight cancer, I ask you for money to fight cancer, and  showing support for the no gear division this year by our team (the most respected team at the Stairclimb) participating in that division will in itself fight cancer.  Below is an article that the IAFF did on our team this year and this issue.

Please consider donating this year to help me with my obligations to fundraiser while helping battle cancer for all those that fall victim, including many of the firefighters that protect you and your communities.

I appreciate and recognize all the support over the years, you all make it easy!

Andy

2024 LLS STAIRCLIMB OFFERS A NEW OPTION TO COMPETE WITHOUT TURNOUT GEAR

“I did LLS Stairclimb competitions, the World Police and Fire Games, attempted the Guinness World Record for fastest half-marathon in turnout gear, and got the Guinness World Record for the fastest mile in turnout gear,” said Drobeck. “I’ve been doing a lot of competitions in gear.” 

“When I went to sign up for the Stairclimb, I saw there was a new division, no turnout gear,” Drobeck said. “That’s when I reached out to the organizers and talked to 7th District Vice President Ricky Walsh.”  

The event, held at the Columbia Center in Downtown Seattle, the second tallest building west of the Mississippi, is the largest stair climb competition for fire fighters, raising more than $28 million for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society since 1991. At 788 feet of vertical elevation, climbers ascend 69 floors, and 1,356 steps to the Sky View Observatory. 

As an avid competitor, he has participated in 12 Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) Stairclimb competitions, winning six, with all proceeds benefitting the fight to end cancer.  

“Ignorance is bliss, and you don’t know what you don’t know,” said Drobeck. “How can I go to an event promoting beating cancer, while wearing gear that has all these bad side effects, with cancer being one of them,” said Drobeck. “It just didn’t seem to make sense to me.”  

In 2022, the IAFF and the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association announced they were leading the charge to change the regulatory standards currently in place.  

“Until next-generation, PFAS-free protective gear is in the hands of every fire fighter, we must reduce our needless exposure to these carcinogens,” said Kelly. “I commend Brother Drobeck for advocating for this important measure.” 

“If the IAFF is making this push, we should be right there with them making that push,” said Drobeck. 

“If there’s a very small amount of people doing that event with no gear, it’s probably going to be slow to change, but if we can make a statement, and have a large participation of no gear, I think we can make a shift to that event being nobody wearing their gear in a few years, and hopefully in a few years, there’s safe gear,” said Drobeck. 

What is the LLS Firefighter Stairclimb?

The LLS Firefighter Stairclimb is the world's largest on-air stair climb competition, and annual fundraiser held at the tallest building in town, the Columbia Center. All 2,000 participants are career, volunteer, or retired firefighters who will climb up the second tallest skyscraper west of the Mississippi in full turnout gear, weighing over 60 pounds, while on-air. Throughout this grueling course, we all remember that every step forward is representative of moving closer to a cure. Although this is an extreme test of physical endurance, it pales in comparison to what blood cancer patients endure. All proceeds raised directly benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and since its inception in 1991, this event has raised over $22 million thus far.