Area departments to participate in Fight for Air Climb in Milwaukee on Saturday
By Vicky Wedig
Editor
Firefighter Frank Taylor figures climbing 94 flights of stairs carrying 70 pounds of equipment is like child birth – after the memory of the pain fades, one is willing to do it again.
Taylor, of the Lauderdale-LaGrange Fire Department, filled in for his son, James Taylor, when the younger Taylor couldn’t make it to the Fight for Air Climb in Milwaukee two years ago.
Taylor made it up the 47 floors at the U.S. Bank building in about 16 minutes – twice the time of the fastest climber, West Allis firefighter Joe Gapinski, who made it in 7 minutes and 27 seconds last year.
“I made myself a promise when I got to the top,” said Taylor, chairman of the LaGrange Town Board. “I promised I’d never do it again.”
But – like a second-time expectant mother who vowed in the delivery room to stop at one – he’s doing it again.
The 10-member Lauderdale-LaGrange team will be among 44 other teams of firefighters and first responders who will take part in the seventh annual American Lung Association in Wisconsin Fight for Air Climb on Saturday.
The Milwaukee climb is the No. 1 Fight for Air Climb in the nation with a goal of raising $700,000 to help fight lung disease.
The Lauderdale-LaGrange team is working to defend its title of the highest-fundraising firefighter, fending off the Eagle Fire Department, with a goal of raising $10,000.
“We have a bit of a rivalry with Eagle because we’ve actually had the top firefighter team fund raising for the last two years,” Taylor said.
The department exceeded its goal of raising $5,000 last year by bringing in about $7,000 – more than any other fire department team in the state. Team captain Eric Taylor, Frank Taylor’s oldest son, decided to “go big or go home” and set a goal of $10,000, Taylor said.
“But there’s an individual on the Eagle Fire Department who raised $3,000 himself last year,” Taylor said. “They’re formidable opponents.”
Eagle is the No. 2 firefighter fundraising team, bringing in $5,780 last year. Team captain Chuck Roberts alone has raised $4,702 so far this year.
Each firefighter must raise at least $100 to participate in the challenge.
Donations can be made 24 hours a day online until the time of the event, which begins at 7 a.m. Saturday.
Veterans and freshmen
Firefighters from the Bloomfield-Genoa City, Lyons, Town of Burlington and Palmyra fire departments will also compete.
Bloomfield-Genoa City firefighters have competed for five years, and this is the third year for the Lauderdale-LaGrange team. But, Lyons firefighters are competing for the first time this year after a friendly wager from their Burlington cohorts.
“They kind of bet us,” said Lyons team captain Amanda Moeller, an emergency medical technician. “We took the challenge and got a couple of us together.”
The five-member team has a first-year goal of raising $500, and is also making wagers among team members.
“We’re betting who will be the slowest,” said Moeller, who said she’s confident she will finish before team member Frank Moeller, her husband and a Lyons firefighter.
Moeller said Lyons firefighters and EMTs are training wearing weight vests and doing stair-climbing activities to prepare for the challenge in the U.S. Bank stairwell.
“It’s a small stairway going up, so you really do run out of air from what I’ve been told,” she said.
Lauderdale-LaGrange firefighters train on steps at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
The teams that participate are predominantly from fire departments throughout the state, according to the American Lung Association. However, the popularity of the event has grown to include other first responders, including several police departments and the Wisconsin National Guard.
The teams compete against each other in three categories – fastest team score, fastest individual score and highest fundraising team.
“Firefighters experience every day what it means to fight to breathe. They are such an important part of this event, and of our mission,” said Linda Witucki, executive director of the American Lung Association in Wisconsin.
Moeller said the firefighters and EMTs climb the stairs wearing the National Fire Association approved fire gear, which includes fire resistant boots, pants and jackets with the liners inside of them, and an oxygen tank and harness. She said her teammates are training for times of 20 to 25 minutes and has heard of friends completing the climb in 12 to 25 minutes.
Moeller said if the department’s maiden voyage is a success, it will make the Fight for Air Climb a yearly outing.
The Lauderdale-LaGrange team finished 10th in the fastest-team category last year, Taylor said. Team times are calculated by averaging the times of the top five finishers on each team, he said. The team averaged a 12-minute finish last year.
The event is a family affair for the Taylors with Frank Taylor, two of his sons and a nephew on the firefighters team and two of Taylor’s daughters-in-law, a granddaughter, a niece and a great-niece climbing in the non-firefighter event.
About the climb
The firefighter’ event – the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Firefighter Challenge – accounts for only a portion of the climbers. Overall, 418 teams and 3,000 climbers are expected to participate.
“Things are shaping up for another exciting Anthem Firefighter Challenge,” said Michael Jaeger, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield senior clinical officer and chairman of the American Lung Association in Wisconsin Leadership Board. “A true highlight of the day, the firefighters and first responders take on the stairs in full uniform to remind us of how hard some people have to struggle to breathe, and to raise money to support health-improving research and programs. Their commitment to improving health is truly remarkable and we’re honored to have their participation grow with the event.”
In 2013 and 2014, the Milwaukee Climb received the honor of being ranked No. 1 in the nation among Fight for Air Climbs, beating out Denver, Chicago and Boston for the number of participants and the amount of money raised.
The climb will begin at 7 a.m. Saturday and continue until all climbers finish. To register, visit http://action.lung.org/ClimbMilwaukee2015. The registration fee is $25, and an additional $100 fundraising minimum is required to participate.
“Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is proud to support the American Lung Association and its programs,” said Jaeger. “We’ve been a part of every Fight for Air Climb since the event started seven years ago, and are looking forward to seeing everyone take on the stairs on March 21.”
