INNISFAIL -- Training is well underway for five of the town's finest competing next month in the highest elevation firefighter stairclimb in the world.
And this is a most special competition: the 5th Annual Firefighter Stairclimb Challenge in support of Wellspring Calgary to raise awareness and support for firefighters and all citizens living with cancer.
The five participating Innisfail firefighters, led by chief Gary Leith and joined by probationary firefighter Jason Power, firefighter Eric Peppinck, firefighter Cara Cochrane, and pump operator Mark Reynolds, are busy getting in shape for the stairclimb at Calgary’s Bow building, one of Western Canada’s tallest buildings. They have been practising for the Calgary stairclimb for the past two months.
It is the second year local firefighters are taking part. Last year they raised just over $1,000 for the event and already this year they have collected more than $3,600.
The five Innisfail finest will be joined by hundreds of firefighters from across North America who will ascend the 55-storey skyscraper's 775 vertical feet – 1,204 steps -- in full firefighter duty gear, including air packs without a face mask. Organizers for the stairclimb say top racers finish in as little as 11 minutes, while the average participant takes about 25 minutes.
"It took me 19 minutes last year," said Leith of his 2018 Calgary stairclimb. He added the event is especially important for his crew, with firefighter Cochrane taking the lead to mobilize local department support and pump operator Reynolds being a determined cancer survivor.
"Cancer touches everybody in some way, shape or form, and obviously Wellspring provides support for those people suffering from cancer," said the fire chief, noting Reynolds regularly comes to the fire hall to train for the event by climbing 33 sets of 38-step stairs inside the fire hall's three-storey hose tower.
Reynolds, who at 45 has been with the Innisfail Fire Department for the last eight years, was diagnosed with a form of kidney cancer in 2016. He then was required to have half of his left kidney removed, with six additional weeks of treatment.
According to the Stairclimb Challenge’s website, 17 presumptive cancers are a recognized occupational hazard of the firefighter’s job.
“Those who live with cancer are heroes to their families and friends, living out each day with courage and hope,” noted the website. “Firefighters also provide courage and hope; they are our everyday heroes.”
In the meantime, Reynolds has done his own research into the correlation between various cancers and firefighting.
"My background is in occupation, health and safety. I try to look at the trends," he said. "I was doing a lot of research at the time when I was undergoing my diagnosis and tests for my own peace of mind, as well as for my wife and my family."
Reynolds and his four firefighting colleagues will continue to train most nights leading up to May 5. All five are determined to make a difference at the stairclimb and beyond.
"We will probably stop training the week before," said Reynolds. "We want to give ourselves five days to recover so we are ready to go."
For more information on the 5th Annual Firefighter Stairclimb Challenge visit the website at https://calgarystairclimb.com.
To support the local firefighters attending, or to make a donation, call the Innisfail Fire Department at 403-227-5800.
