Members of the Anacortes area community helped the Fidalgo Island Firefighters Stairclimb team raise nearly $2,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphpoma research at a pancake breakfast fundraiser Saturday.

The event, held at the Anacortes Fire Department Station 1, gave visitors an opportunity to interact with local firefighters from the Anacortes Fire Department (Local 1537), Hope Island Fire Department, Mt Erie Fire Department, and Summit Park Fire Department, as well as try on a firefighter’s “bunker gear” and get an up-close look at fire department apparatus and equipment.  The proceeds from the breakfast support the Fidalgo Island team’s participation in the Scott Firefighter Challenge- an annual stair climb at Seattle’s Columbia Center Tower, which draws firefighters from throughout Washington and raises money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Firefighters in full gear, breathing air from a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), demonstrated the physical demands of the stair climb on a Versa-Climber step machine.

The event raised $1,975 through donations and raffle ticket sales.  To help the Fidalgo Island Firefighters team, or to learn more about the Scott Firefighter Challenge, please visit the TEAM WEBSITE.