Two Kirkland Firefighters Compete in Columbia Tower Stairclimb

Two members of the Kirkland Fire Department competed Sunday in the 20th annual at the Columbia Tower in Seattle, finishing 112th and 557th.

Firefighters Moe Kelsey and Steve Suyama joined more than 1,550 firefighters from a record 281 fire departments from 27 states, Canada and New Zealand to raise awareness and funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. They climbed 1,311 steps of Seattle's Columbia Tower, about 780 vertical feet.

Kelsey, 33, finished in 112th place overall, with a time of 15 minutes and 48.80. Suyama, 46, finished 557th, with a time of 20 minutes, 17.08 seconds. 

The Kirkland Fire Department has a long tradition of participating in the climb. Kirkland firefighter Bill Henderson won the very first event in 1992 with a time of 16 minutes, 47 seconds. He also won the second event.

This year's overall winner, Montanan Kory Burgess of the Missoula Rural Fire District, won the climb a third time in a row and set a new event record of 10:53.79.

Competitors are required to race fully outfitted in firefighting coat, pants and equipment, including a breathing apparatus. Firefighters are allowed to use two bottles of oxygen on the climb, and bottle changers are staged at specific levels of the tower to help them switch out their tanks.

Last year, the event raised $780,000 for blood cancer research and patient services and this year's event is sold out. 

The public stair climb, Big Climb Seattle, will be on March 20.