Westford Firefighters 'Fight for Air' for a Good Cause

Photo courtesy of Jaimee Lefebvre

WESTFORD, MA - Seven members of the Westford Fire Department took part in the “Fight for Air Climb” in Boston on Feb. 6 and raised more than $1,700 for charity in the process.

The American Lung Association event serves as a fundraiser to ”make a positive impact in the lives of those affected by lung disease,” according to the event’s website.

Lt. Michael Denehy, Darren Lanier, Michael Cool, Capt. Paul Lemieux, Sean Brown, Zach Driscoll and Dave Lefebvre all took part as members of the Westford Fire Department Local 3126. This was the first time Westford Fire Department participated in the event, according to the town administrator’s newsletter.

The firefighter’s climbed 41 stories wearing full gear, including air packs that add an additional 70 pounds to their body weight. The 41 stories consisted of 82 flights with a total of 789 stairs. The Westford team finished with an average time of 14:43, according to race results.

Additionally, Westford residents Ian Coveny (Gentle Giant Moving Company), Matt Story (Team Oracle), Denise Loranger (Step by Step), Nathan Hummer (Climb for Muffins), Laurie Hummer (Climb for Muffins), Ann Marie McLaughlin (Team Diane), Jen Richardson (NECC Respiratory) and Anthony Gemmellaro (Shire) all participated in the non-firefighter race.

Westford residents James Mazzola and James Crocker participated as firefighters with the Concord Fire Department and Groton Fire Department, respectively.