Florida-based firefighter and Vice President of Fire Dept. Coffee, Jason Patton will ascend 110 flights of stairs for the San Antonio 9/11 Memorial Climb on September 11, 2019. Paying tribute to the hundreds of fallen heroes involved in the rescue efforts after the terrorist attacks in which thousands of people died, Jason will not only climb over a hundred flights of stairs but he will do so with an additional fifty pounds of gear on, per his promise of adding ten extra pounds of gear to his climb for every $500 raised. Because Jason raised $2,500 in donations, those extra fifty pounds will serve as a reminder of what the San Antonio 9/11 Memorial Climb and the Tommy Cullen Foundation are all about. (Fun fact: The average firefighter with gear on weighs about 250 pounds; which means that in addition to Jason’s bunker gear and SCBA (Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus), he will climb these stairs weighing approximately 305 pounds.) To prepare for this athletic feat, Jason has been training his mind and body every day: Lots of cardio and lots of lifting are involved.
As a firefighter himself, Jason (pictured above) is forever humbled by the sacrifices given by those who are no longer with us and by those who continue to suffer from the events that occurred on 9/11. Which is why this event means so much to him and to the rest of the crew at FDC. This year, the Fire Department Coffee Foundation will donate all the money raised to the San Antonio 9/11 Memorial Climb to support the Tommy Cullen Foundation. The Tommy Cullen Foundation was started in 2018 to raise money “to assist the loved ones of first responders who are battling cancer, just as Tommy’s mother did back in 2012-13.” The Foundation explains that there are numerous charities and foundations across the United States raising money for first responders in need, but not many of them take care of their loved ones. The Tommy Cullen Foundation is one such organization. A noble cause, indeed.
To learn more about how FDC’s own Jason Patton is preparing for this epic climb, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. To support the Fire Department Coffee Foundation in our efforts to give back to injured and ill firefighters and first responders, click the link below.