The Pella Fire Department and Pella PD are climbing flights of stairs in the fight against lung disease in some of Des Moines’ tallest buildings.

They are joining local residents and hundreds from around the state in the Annual Fight for Air Climb Sunday morning.

Pella Fire Chief Doug Van Gorkom says a team of firefighters is climbing for his wife Susan, who received a double lung transplant in 2015.

Lt. Paul Haase has participated with his wife Emily for the past five years, and tells KNIA/KRLS a team of officers and dispatchers was challenged to climb for the first time by the fire department.

Click here to support the Pella Fire Department and their $5000 goal, here to help the Pella Police Department’s team, or here to assist local resident Emily Haase.