The Billings Fire Department placed 12th out of 226 Fire Department Teams from across the United States and a few European Countries in the Leukemia Stair Climb.

This event is the largest Fire Fighting event of the year as over 2,000 participants raise money for the cause “Climb-Conquer-Cure.”

Halley Parnell, raised on Orcas Island, was the lone female on the Billings team and placed fourth out of 340 females in the event. The competition requires participants to go 1356 steps, carrying over 55 pounds of gear to the top of Columbia Towers for an elevation gain of 788 feet.

The Billings Team personally raises donations for the Leukemia Foundation, trains before and after work, and participants pay their own way to and from the event, just for this cause.