Firefighters Climb to Victory in Grueling Stair Race

Nine Webster Groves firefighters raced to the top of the 42-story Metropolitan Square Building in downtown St. Louis this past weekend as part of the American Lung Association’s fourth annual Master the Met competitive stair race.

The group of firefighters was crowned the Fastest Uniformed Team at the event, in which nearly 1,000 firefighters competed to raise money to support the work of the association, according to Webster Groves Fire Department spokesperson Matt Coppin.

In addition to achieving the fastest uniformed team time, the group also raised the most money of any team by collecting $1,500 that will go toward the association’s educational, research and advocacy efforts.

All of the firefighters wore full firefighting gear while racing up the building’s more than 1,000 stairs, but two of the firefighters competed while wearing self-contained breathing apparatuses, which delivers firefighters with oxygen from a fresh air tank worn on their backs through a full face mask.

Firefighter and paramedic Salvo Parenti collected a second-place award for his time of 9:51 in the Full Gear while On Air division while wearing more than 40 pounds of gear, according to Coppin.

“I’m tremendously proud to be a part of this amazing team that is able to compete at such a high level,” Parenti said. “It is even more satisfying knowing that we were able benefit such a worthy cause.”