MARYSVILLE On Sunday, March 4, 15 Marysville Fire District firefighters set out to climb all 69 flights of stairs of the tallest building in Seattle, The Columbia Tower.
The event was more than competition; it was about compassion. Firefighters sought to raise money for research and patient care for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Some Marysville firefighters revealed personal connections for being a part of this nationally recognized fundraiser.
Father-son duo, Capt. Bob Magee, age 52, and part-time Firefighter Brendan Magee, age 26, were part of the Marysville participants. For them, this was a tribute to a mother/grandmother who passed away from Leukemia. Although this was Capt. Bob Magees third year doing the stair climb, he admitted his son beat him by just five minutes this year. His personal goal was to raise $1,000.
When asked why he does the annual firefighter stair climb, Firefighter Keoni Brown eluded to the memory of a well respected firefighter and friend, Lieutenant Jeff Thornton, a Marysville Firefighter who passed away on Sept. 11, 2001 from cancer. Lt. Thornton had been one of the original stair climbers when the event first began with just a handful of firefighters. It has grown to a reported 1,087 participants in its 16th year.
Firefighters Keoni Brown and Jeff Tucker, were instrumental in organizing the crew of 15 Marysville firefighter participants this year. Everett Community Colleges Fire Science Program donated 8 air packs for firefighters to use on the day of the race. Timed in full turn-out gear and SCBA, with only one bottle change on the 40th floor, all 15 firefighters finished the climb to
victory.
Congratulations to Marysville Fire District firefighters Sam Eagle, Jeff Tucker, Matt Campbell, Capt. Cal Droke, Keoni Brown, Capt. Bob Magee, Brendan Magee, Chad Hale, Joshua Olsen, Capt. Darren Green, Noah Pester, Tim Gunn, Joe Ballif, Ryan Swobody and Capt. Dave Kraski.