Brighton Firefighters Climb for Air

With roughly 70 pounds of turn-out gear on their bodies, 10 climbed 70 flights, or 1,035 steps, to the top of the Renaissance Center in Detroit on Sunday for the American Lung Association's (ALA) Fight for Air Climb Firefighter Challenge.

Jessie Jimenez-Schlicht, Michigan American Lung Association climb coordinator, said that this was Detroit's Second Annual Firefighter Challenge. There were 22 fire departments that competed, including Howell and Brighton.

"We do firefighter challenges at almost all of our stair climbs all across the country and they're usually well attended by both fire and police officers," Jimenez-Schlicht said. "But really, it's about the challenge. Being able to climb in your gear and have bragging rights that you're the fastest or that you raised the most money.

"They really like the camaraderie of it," Jimenez-Schlicht said. "Firefighters have a higher prevalence of lung disease just as a terrible side effect of their profession, being exposed to smoke."

This was the first year Brighton participated in the event. The department raised $3,520 for the organization. Brighton Fire Chief Mike O'Brian led the charge so-to-speak, after receiving good-natured goading that fire chiefs don't remember how to put on turn-out gear.

"We're always working on fitness, trying to be physically fit for the job so this was a natural fit for us," O'Brian said. "It's a good thing for the American Lung Association and it's good camaraderie and team building."

O'Brian said his team worked out at home, at the gym and ran up and down the bleachers a few times at football field.

Derrick Bunge, the team captain for the event, said the climb was one more way for fire department to get involved in the community as well as keep up with physical fitness training.

"There are stair climbs all around the United States," Bunge said. "There's 9/11 tribute climbs, American Lung Association climbs - and this is something that I've just always wanted to do, ever since I saw the first stair climb competition."

"One way it was explained on the ALA website is that nobody should have to fight for air and I can guarantee everybody that's climbing 70 flights of stairs is going to be fighting for air," Bunge said. "It's a huge accomplishment for all the people who do it. It's no small feat."

Firefighter Robby Przybylski was one of the first from Brighton's department to reach the 70th floor, with a time of 13:51.

Przybylski, 18, is a fire science student at Lake Superior State University and is on leave from the department while away at school. He came home for spring break to participate in the climb.

O'Brian, who reached the top with a time of 21:58, said Przybylski had age on his side.

The ALA will recognize the fastest individual male and female firefighters under 40 and over 40, in turn-out gear and without, the fastest team based on time averages. The team averages from the ALA are not yet available, however Bunge said Brighton's top three times averaged to 15:14, beating Howell Fire Department's average of 18:42.

Howell firefighter Andrew Johnson had the fastest time between the two departments with 11:35.

Our top three averaged came to 15:14 and Howell was 18:42 due to the other two guys being in the 22min range.

Check back with Brighton Patch to find out where Brighton firefighters ranked against 21 other departments in the Fight for Air Stair Climb