Cochrane firefighters are taking steps to help support those affected by cancer.
Cochrane firefighters are taking steps to help support those affected by cancer.
On May 1, members from the Cochrane fire department will tackle 1,204 stairs in 50 pounds of firefighting gear to help raise funds for Wellspring Calgary, an organization dedicated to providing support services for people with cancer and their families.
This is the second year the local firefighters will raise funds for the organization, raising over $1,500 last year, with a fundraising goal of $2,000 this year.
“We had a member who benefited from Wellspring themselves, so we choose to support that member because of the close connection to our department, ” said Cochrane firefighter Chris Chyka.
“It is also a personal challenge and interdepartmental challenge as well, so some competition with that, but first and foremost it had to do with the member who benefited from the program last year. ”
Members from the local detachment will climb along with 500 firefighters in total. Last year the local members had climb times ranging from 14-19 minutes.
“It was tough… it wasn't so much the legs, it was the lungs. The tower itself wasn't well ventilated, it was dry and it was hot and when you have that many bodies going up there, there is a lot of heat, ” Chyka said.
“Personally I think we are just trying to better ourselves from last year, both monetarily, and hopefully our times in the tower are an improvement. ”
This year the local firefighters have started training early on the 4 1/2 floors at the station, in preparation for the 775 vertical feet Calgary's BOW Building, the ninth-tallest building in Canada. The firefighters participating in the challenge must wear full gear, including their fire suits and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), with an air tank and masks.
According to the event's official site, the event was created at the suggestion of the sister of Gord Paul, a Calgary firefighter who died in 2007 after a four-year battle with cancer. It claims to be the “highest elevation stair climb in the world ” starting at 3,400 feet or roughly 1,036 metres above sea level (Calgary elevation) - with a total of over 4,000 feet above sea level at the top of the climb.
“I don't think there is a person here who has a known associate, friend or family member that hasn't been affected by cancer. With the history of Emergency Medical Services here that we provide, we saw the whole process from the start of being diagnosed to mid-stage cancer to end of life - we somewhat understand at times during that process that people can feel very alone, ” Chyka explained.
Wellspring provides a variety of free non-medical services and programs for people and their families affected by cancer, including peer support, physical activities, expressive arts, and a program to help patients return to work.
“It is not only a personal aspect but we recognize a positive mind also helps combat the disease process. So if Wellspring provides that network of support, it also provides that person help, both mentally and physically trying to get through the disease process. ”
For more information or to donate to the Firefighter Stairclimb Challenge, go to wellspringcalgary.ca, where you can donate to a specific participant or team, the local team “Cochrane Fire Team #1. ”
The Firefighter Stairclimb Challenge takes place on May 1 at Calgary's BOW building.
