More than two dozen members of East Pierce Fire and Rescue will step into their firefighter pants and boots, put on their heavy coats and slip on their breathing apparatus March 6.

But they won’t be getting ready to fight a fire. Instead, they will be preparing to fight cancer.

The East Pierce firefighters will join more than 1,000 firefighters from departments throughout the country, to climb the 69-story Columbia Center in downtown Seattle as part of the 20th annual Scott Firefighter Stairclimb.

Sporting 50 pounds of gear, the firefighters will sprint up 1,311 stairs to the top of Seattle’s tallest building to raise funds and awareness for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

The East Pierce team hopes to collect $10,000 to help fund blood-cancer research and patient services.

East Pierce Firefighter and Team Captain Jacob Poisson will be climbing for the sixth year. He said his team is dedicating this year’s climb to Snohomish Fire District Firefighter Rick Peters, who was recently diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, and Dorothy McDonald, sister of East Pierce Deputy Chief John McDonald, who lost her battle to Acute Leukemia last year.

Some of the team members are also climbing to honor their own family members. East Pierce Volunteer Firefighter Luis Szarko will be remembering his grandparents, Maria and Pedro Ojcius, both of whom died of cancer.

To help raise money for the team, the East Pierce firefighters will be hosting a fundraiser from 8 to 10 a.m., Sunday, at the Bonney Lake Applebee’s, 9430 192nd Avenue East. Tickets are $10 at the door. Breakfast will include pancakes, eggs, sausage or bacon and a choice of a beverage. All food is prepared by Applebee’s and served by firefighters. Tips will go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Additional fundraisers are scheduled for Feb. 20 and 27 at the Fred Myers in Sumner, at 1201 Valley Avenue. Beginning at 11 a.m., team members, in full firefighting gear, will be answering questions and accepting donations while taking turns on a stair climbing machine.

To learn more about the event and the East Pierce team, go to www.firefighterstairclimb.org and click on the “Donate Now” tab and search for the East Pierce team. Donors can make a pledge for a specific participant or a donation for the entire team.