Cheyenne Fire Rescue Firefighters to Participate in Stair climb competition

Four Cheyenne Fire Rescue firefighters will participate in The Scott Firefighter Stair climb in Seattle, Wash. on Sunday, March 11.

Firefighters are Sarah DeLay, Tyler Gautreau, Vincent Padavano, and Kevin West. DeLay has participated four years, and this will be the first time for Gautreau, Padavano, and West.
These firefighters have been practicing for this climb at the Wyoming Financial Center in downtown Cheyenne.

The event is the world’s largest air breathing apparatus stair climb competition. It will be held at the Columbia Center which is 69 floors, 1,356 steps and is a 788-foot vertical elevation. The climb first started in 1992. Firefighters will have to race in their structural firefighting gear which includes boots, pants, coat, helmet, gloves, and breathing apparatus (approximately 75 pounds). Firefighters start the climb every 12 seconds. About 2,000 firefighters will participate.

The Stairclimb is a fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Its mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgins disease and Myeloma and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. There are 1.2 million people in the United States who are living with or in remission.

In 2017, Andrew Drobeck of Missoula City Fire (Mont.) climbed the 1,356 steps in a winning time of 10:58. In that time, three people were diagnosed with blood cancer and one person lost their life to this dreadful disease.

Photo Caption: Cheyenne Fire Rescue Firefighters are (front row, l-r): Tyler Gautreau, and Sarah Delay; (back row, l-r): Kevin West and Vincent Padavano.