200 firefighters climb 30 flights of stairs in annual fundraiser 'Fight for Air Climb'

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- People were working up a sweat at the Wisconsin Center downtown earlier Saturday, March 21. 

They climbed 30 floors of stairs in a fundraiser for the American Lung Association. 

The annual "Fight for Air Climb" saw more than 1,000 people, including kids, families and more than 200 firefighters in full uniform, climbing up all those flights. 

The purpose of Saturday's event isn't just to raise money, it's to help build empathy too. 

"What you get to feel like when you're climbing the stairs is what someone who feels like they have lung disease every day," said Megan Cordova, executive director of the American Lung Association. "You get to the top, you have that feeling of euphoria but, you can also catch your breath and move on. So, people with lung disease feel that all the time so it's to give you some perspective." 

To work their way up those 30 floors, climbers took just shy of 600 steps. 

The fastest climber Saturday reached the top in just two minutes and 58 seconds. 

For ways to help and donate, visit their website here.