Missoula Area News

Missoula firefighters again tops in Seattle stairclimb

Posted: Mar 11, 2013 8:41 AM by MTN News

SEATTLE - Missoula firefighters once again came out on top at an annual stair climb fundraiser in Seattle.

Three area men clocked in the top three times at the 22nd Annual Scott Firefighter Stair Climb on Sunday, an event that raises money for the Washington/Alaska Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Missoula City firefighter Andrew Drobeck, 31, took first place with a time of 10:48, Kory Burgess, 31, of the Missoula Rural Fire District was second with a time of 11:02, and coming in third was Missoula City firefighter Benjamin Brunsvold, 27, who clocked a time of 11:44.

Drobeck broke the world firefighter stair climbing record in Seattle in 2012, climbing the city's tallest building from bottom to top in 10:38.2.

Competitors wear 50 pounds of "bunker gear," including helmet, fireproof coat and pants, boots, breathing apparatus and air tanks used to fight fires and climb the 69 floor Columbia Tower.

Organizers say 1,550 firefighters took part in the event, climbing 788 and 1,311 steps, all to help a good cause.

The final fundraising numbers aren't in yet, but organizers say they exceeded their goal of raising $1.2 million this year.

(photo credit Daisy King for Sarah Alston Photography)

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