Local firefighters climb stairs for charity
The Spokane Valley Fire Department was the top department in a firefighter stair climbing competition in Seattle last weekend.
The Spokane Fire Department placed 8th out of 118 departments. A team of 47 Spokane firefighters participated in the annual Scott Firefighter Stairclimb, which raises money for blood cancer research through the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Spokane firefighters raised more than $23,000, nearly twice what they raised last year. Results for this year are being calculated. Donations can be made here. Last year's competition raised more than $780,000.
About 1,300 firefighters participated, climbing 69 flights of stairs and 1,311 steps at the Columbia Center in downtown Seattle.
Several local firelighters placed in the top 30, including Paul Kimball and Mark Knokey of Spokane Valley, Steven Harms of Spokane County Fire District #9 and Jason Keen and Eric Ross of Spokane City
Complete results can be found here.