On Sunday, March 11, 2018, Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD) firefighters Matthew Black and Carlos Arellanes will compete in the 27th Annual Scott Firefighter Stair Climb at the Columbia Center in downtown Seattle, Washington.
Firefighters from various departments and different countries come to compete in the world’s largest stair climb competition. Black of Fire Station 38 in Windsor Hills and Arellanes of Fire Station 151 in Glendora will wear their personal protective equipment (PPE) and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), both weighing almost 50 pounds, while climbing 69 flights of stairs. This competition aims to raise funds for blood cancer research, education and patient services for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Black joined the competition, inspired by family members who have been diagnosed with cancer. To prepare for this intense competition, he has hiked while wearing a high-altitude training mask and has used the StairMaster with the training mask and a weighted vest.
Founded in 1949, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) has invested over $1 billion to develop cancer therapies and advance treatment.