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Tampa Firefighters Climb Stairs For A Cause

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By VALERIE KALFRIN and KEITH MORELLI of The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 13, 2008

TAMPA - It's a long way to the top of the Bank of America building, and without an elevator, there is just one way to get there.

Add full bunker gear, including an air tank and a helmet and for one guy the car keys of the seven others and 42 flights of stairs can be almost impossible to ascend. Almost is the key word.

The Tampa Fire Rescue firefighters from the downtown station do this training every three days. They climb the stairs in full gear twice a session.

Today they did the training with an eye toward a competition to be held in the building on Feb. 23, when nearly 300 people from all walks of life will time their ascents for a good cause.

Firefighters usually do it in about 11 minutes. One civilian did it last year in about seven minutes, but that was carrying just the lightweight clothes on his back, said Jamie Lee Kahns, who is coordinating the event for the American Lung Association.

She said about 280 people have registered for Climb Tampa, up from last year's 230 entrants.

"It's a good way to test your lung capacity," she said.

Michael Hoffman, who works in a real estate office in the 500-foot-tall building, arranged to have firefighters use the staircase.

"We have opened up the building to Tampa firefighters for about 10 years," he said, "and any fire rescue service who wants to train here."

Capt. Mike Shuler, sweaty from the ascent this morning, said the training benefits firefighters whose territory is downtown and all the high-rise buildings.

"It's good to stay prepared in case elevators aren't working," he said.

His group has done the climb for about a year, he said.

"It's monotonous," he said, "But we have a nice friendly competition going."

The training is not required by the department, but many of the downtown firefighters participate, he said.

Last year's event raised $32,500, with the top climber finishing in 7 minutes 27 seconds, according to the American Lung Association of Florida's Web site.

Climb Tampa will begin at 7 a.m.

For information or to register, visit www.StairClimbTampaBay.com.

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