Sandpoint firefighters conquer skyscraper
After months of preparation, Sandpoint firefighters Clint Frank, Britain Whitley and Allo Pucci braved the 69 stories of the Columbia Center to finish nineteenth out of 120 teams from across the country. (Courtesy photo)
SANDPOINT — Sixty-nine stories and thousands of competitors didn’t stop Sandpoint firefighters from placing solid rankings at the Seattle Stair Climb on Sunday.
A fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the stair climb challenges participants to climb the 788-foot Columbia Center as quickly as possible. After months of fitness training, firefighters Clint Frank, Britain Whitley and Allo Pucci’s team finished nineteenth out of 120 teams.
Individually, Frank finished in 65th place with a time of 15 minutes and three seconds, Whitely in 83rd at 15:23 and Pucci in 101st at 15:40. Considering that the event drew 1,500 participants, the team is proud of those numbers.
“It was a grueling and exhausting experience but very rewarding,” Frank said.
The requirement that firefighters had to climb the skyscraper in full protective gear and carrying a full oxygen bottle made the event even more brutal.
“This was really a battle of mind over matter,” Frank said. “The heat was just so extreme in full gear.”
However, the endurance test was worth it, especially since the firefighters raised $1,530 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through their efforts.
“We really want to thank everyone who supported us and especially Safeway for hosting our Seattle Stair Climb fundraiser,” Frank said.
And there’s no rest for the weary. The participants are already back in training for the Firefighter Combat Challenge, a test of endurance and vocational skills scheduled for July 8 through July 10 at Silverwood.