Bellevue Firefighters Take Steps For Young Girl

The Big Climb, a 69-story, 1,311-step firefighter challenge in Seattle, has been an annual tradition for Bellevue firefighters, but this year--on the 20th anniversary of the fundraiser--the team has  a personal connection.

Thirteen firefighters from the will make the climb in honor of a girl, Taylor Turk, 12, who is at Seattle Children's Hospital fighting leukemia, the disease that the climb raises money to fight.

Since being diagnosed in August, Taylor has only been home for one week, said firefighter Paul Hyatt, who grew up with Taylor's father in Bellevue.

"They'll all have pictures tucked into their gear," said Bellevue firefighter Mike Williams. "We do this every year, but it all becomes real when you know people who are affected. This hits home."

Some of the firefighters from Bellevue will wear Taylor's photo on their helmets today as they climb the 69 stories of Seattle's Columbia Tower in full firefighter gear.

The climb was created nearly 20 years ago to raise awareness and funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. About 1,500 firefighters from all over the state will climb the 1,311 steps of Seattle's Columbia Tower in full gear today.

Each firefighter is allowed to use two bottles of oxygen on the climb, and the bottle changers are staged at specific levels of the tower to help them switch out their tanks.

Last year, the event raised $780,000 for blood cancer research and patient services and this year's event is sold out. The public stair climb, Big Climb Seattle, will be on March 20.

• Eric Pedeferri
• Mike Williams
• Marcus Howle
• Brian Regalado
• Don Martinell
• Camari Olson
• Chief Warren Merritt
• Scott Symons
• Ted Erb
• Rich Burke
• Chris Archer
• Paul Hyatt
• Eli Lehmann