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Stair climb raises funds for lung association

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Amber Kelly-Woodward
  • 375th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  Step. Step. Step. Step after step, wearing almost 100 pounds of gear. More steps. They keep climbing. They finish one flight of stairs, but they still have 41 more to go. They're climbing, but what are they climbing from? Is there a fire? No. A bomb scare? No.
Eighteen Team Scott members from the 375th Civil Engineer Squadron's Explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight and Fire Department climbed 42 stories, or 1,000 steps, for the 2009 American Lung Association's Master the Met event Saturday at the Metropolitan Building in downtown St. Louis. 

Staff Sgt. David Gerig, 375 CES EOD craftsman won third in the overall competition with a time of 6 minutes and 11 seconds. The Fire Department placed fifth in the competition. 

The EOD team had two smaller teams, which placed sixth and ninth. 

The teams became interested after hearing of a similar event in Seattle and registered in late December. 

"The firefighters in Seattle climbed 69 stories in full protective gear," said Staff Sgt. Nick Dunnebacke, 375 CES Fire Department driver operator. "This was the first time that people wore a breathing apparatus, though, which is 30 pounds heavier." 

To prepare for the event, they climbed the Air Traffic Control Tower, which has only 14 stories, so they had to climb it three times to equate to the Metropolitan Square Building, the tallest building in downtown St. Louis. 

"The hardest part was the heat," said Tech. Sgt. David Pinkham, 375 CES EOD technician. "It is really easy to overheat. Plus we had ceramic chest plates that make it hard to breathe." 

The object of having participants climb the stairs is to give them a new appreciation for their lungs. 

"We already had the level of fitness to do it, we just don't normally do a continual stair climb," added Sergeant Pinkham. "It was also the first opportunity for us to wear the bomb suits out in the public showing that Scott is not only deployed overseas protecting the people, but also protecting the people locally." 

The ALA set a goal to get 1,400 participants and raise $500,000. The EOD team set a goal to get five members and recruited 11. Their goal was to raise $1,000 and they raised $1,332. The Fire Department also wanted to get five members and they recruited seven. Their goal was also $1,000 and they raised $1,057. 

Master the Met is the ALA's fundraiser to aid in the prevention, control and cure of lung diseases such as asthma, lung cancer, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, influenza and pneumonia, and fight for tobacco control and clean air through education, research and advocacy, according to the Web site.