Union Firefighter President Steps Up to Promote Safety & Lung Health

Third generation firefighter and current President of the Jacksonville Association of Firefighters, Randy Wyse, leads a team to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Fight For Air Climb Jacksonville taking place on Saturday, March 18 at the Bank of America Tower.

“Fighting fires has been in my family since 1909 and through the years health and safety of our firefighters has become more upfront,” shares Wyse. “Today, we have more than 2,000 members in our Union and every day, our members risk their lives to save people in our community – it’s just part of the job.”

“In the line of duty, firefighters are regularly exposed to smoke, gasses, chemicals and other substances that can be damaging to their lungs, making them at an increased risk for chronic issues, including lingering cough, hoarseness, asthma, and allergies, and in more extreme cases, lung or bronchial cancer, so the work of the American Lung Association is critical to us,” said Wyse.

“The Fight For Air Climb is the perfect vehicle for our firefighters to practice stair climbing, while at the same time supporting an important community effort,” said Wyse. “When people call 911, it’s most likely the worst day of that person’s life. If we can help make people more cognizant of lung disease, we can potentially impact the number of emergency calls we receive while at the same time encouraging local citizens to become active and make healthier choices.”

The Fight For Air Climb is the premier stair climbing event in the Jacksonville area and will include hundreds of participants, including more than 40 firefighters, many in full gear, climbing 34 floors, 670 stairs at the Bank of America Tower.

“Our team truly looks forward to participating in the Fight For Air Climb every year, shares Wyse. We want our residents to see our help extends beyond receiving a phone call and that we’re a vital part of the community. We support our residents all the time. Our participation in the Climb, is just one example. We love to come back year after and reconnect with other climbers.”

“Besides firefighters, the Lung Association’s work to support clean air and healthy lungs affects everyone, so we are proud to be involved with the Fight For Air Climb again this year,” shares Wyse. We hope to see our community come together for a fun and inspiring event.”

“Through events like the Fight For Air Climb, we are able to fund our work to improve air quality, educate residents on lung health and help people who live with lung disease,” said Cindy Springer, senior manager for the Lung Association. “But we can’t do it alone. Our partnership with the Jacksonville Association of Firefighters provides vital support to the Jacksonville community and residents throughout Florida. From funding asthma education, to providing resources to those suffering from lung cancer, this support makes people’s lives better every day.”

Here in Florida, there are more than 2.5 million people living with lung disease, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and others.

Registration for the Fight For Air Climb on March 18 is $35 and includes a $100 fundraising minimum. For more information, and to register, visit ClimbJax.org. To stay connected, follow us on Facebook @ALAFloridaNE and Instagram @lungs_jax.

Funds from the Fight For Air Climb Jacksonville help the American Lung Association to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through education and advocacy in Jacksonville and lifesaving research.

Media Resources

• Fight For Air Climb media b-roll is available here: Fight for Air Climb Tower B-Roll
• Fight for Air Climb Jacksonville :15 PSA - Fight for Air Climb PSA
###liMedia | American Lung Association

###

About the American Lung Association

The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through education, advocacy and research. The work of the American Lung Association is focused on four strategic imperatives: to defeat lung cancer; to champion clean air for all; to improve the quality of life for those with lung disease and their families; and to create a tobacco-free future. For more information about the American Lung Association, which has a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and is a Platinum-Level GuideStar Member, or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or visit: Lung.org.

American Lung Association • 55 W. Wacker Drive, Suite 1150 • Chicago, IL 60601

1331 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Ste. 1425 North • Washington, D.C. 20004

1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) Lung.org