Gloucester Firefighters raised more than $3,000 for the ALA during the 2019 Fight for Air Climb. Left to right: Lt. Chad Mota, Firefighter Alison DeMeule, Firefighter/EMS Coordinator Jon Sanger, Firefighter Jack Brancaleone, Capt. Jim Burke, Assistant Chief Tom Aiello (retired), Firefighter Nick Aiello, Firefighter Jim Hannon, Firefighter Tom Aldrich, Firefighter Mike Mitchell and Firefighter Charlie Scola. (Courtesy Photo Gloucester Fire Department)
GLOUCESTER — Chief Eric Smith is pleased to announce that members of the Gloucester Fire Department will participate in the American Lung Association’s (ALA) annual Fight For Air Climb this March.
WHEN:
March 28, at 8 a.m.
WHERE:
One Boston Place, 201 Washington St., Boston
WHAT:
Members of the Gloucester Fire Department will participate in the Fight for Air Climb for the ninth year in a row this March. The climb is an annual ALA fundraiser which seeks to raise funds to support the organization’s lung health research, patient education and public policy efforts.
Last year, 42 climbs were held in skyscrapers throughout the United States, raising more than $8 million to support the ALA.
“This is a great challenge for all of us to do every year,” Lt. Chad Mota said. “It keeps a lot of us in shape, and it raises money for lung disease research and prevention, which affects so many people, including those in our profession.”
A group of 11 members of the Gloucester Fire Department have signed up to participate in the climb, including Lt. Chad Mota, Firefighter/Paramedic Jack Brancaleone, Firefighter/Paramedic Jak Letien, Capt. Jim Burke, Firefighter/Paramedic Jim Hannon, Firefighter/EMT Wellington Machado, Lt. Nick Ouellette, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Coordinator Jon Sanger, Capt. Jamie Santos, Firefighter/EMT Charlie Scola and Firefighter/Paramedic Mike Shulman.
Together, the group has set a $3,000 fundraising goal to match the amount raised last year. To donate on behalf of the Gloucester Fire Department’s team, click here.
Those taking part in the event will climb 41 floors and 789 stairs in Boston, and to train for the event, members of the department are running as well as climbing stair climbers and stairs while wearing air packs and gear.
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