Northland firefighter fired up over USA stairclimb

Brian Powell trains in the Northland heat in preparation for some hot American competition. Photo/Michael Cunningham

Volunteer firefighter Brian Powell is in the big smoke of Seattle and New York and blazing a trail as fast as he can in two international stairclimbing events to raise money for the Leukaemia & Blood Cancer Foundation.

The 47-year-old Onerahi firefighter has been a regular starter in the Sky Tower challenge during his 26 years as a volunteer in various brigades and knows that experience will help him against firefighters from around the world.

Today (Saturday), the Fonterra milktanker driver, will be stomping his way up 69 flights of stairs - or 1311 steps - at the Columbia Center in Seattle.

It is the tallest skyscraper in the downtown Seattle skyline and the tallest building in the State of Washington at 286m.

Mr Powell did the climb in 2015 so is familiar with the demands of exerting himself while kitted out in full firefighting regalia including breathing apparatus, which weighs about 27kg.

Next weekend he will be in the Big Apple climbing stairs at 4 World Trade Center in another gut busting fundraising climb up 72 flights.

There are more than 340 firefighters from across the globe lining up for the 3rd Annual New York City Memorial Stair Climb.

There is a tactical plan when taking on stairs of Himalayan proportions.

"The secret is to have done the training. But the key is not to go out too fast and just pace yourself," he said.

"Your lungs are working really hard and it's about managing your air supply."

His training grounds have been a series of steps on the Waimahanga Track at Onerahi. And most of it has been done in the stifling summer heat. Seven times up the stairs is the equivalent to one burst up Sky Tower in Auckland.

Mr Powell was given a boost by local business The Drug Detection Agency (TDDA) which sponsored part of his travel expenses.

The other two volunteer firefighters from Northland heading to the US to compete are Andrew Ivey of Kamo and Darryl Trigg of Ruakaka.