New Jersey Firefighters Featured in First American Lung Association Fight For Air Climb Firefighter Calendar

Firefighters from Roseland and Fort Lee, New Jersey who are regular participants in the Fight For Air Climb New York City have been chosen for the Lung Association’s inaugural 2021 Fight For Air Climb Firefighter Calendar to raise funds to support the vision of a world free of lung disease.  Every year, they join firefighters around the country as they race up hundreds of stairs in full gear weighing over 45 pounds during the American Lung Association’s signature Fight For Air Climb events.  Calendars can be pre-ordered starting today for $20 each, to be delivered in October. Each calendar features photos of our firefighters at their local Fight For Air Climb from Los Angeles and New York to Milwaukee, Miami and everywhere in between.

Perry Lee, the Team Capitan of the Roseland Fire Department team has been doing the Fight for Air Climb New York City for 7 years in honor of his cousin Ann.  Last year, Perry was diagnosed with lung cancer himself.  His team has raised $23,728, and Perry personally has raised over $11,000.  Luis Acevedo, Kaheel Thomas and Will Diaz, from Fort Lee Fire team are also featured. Their team has participated for 2 years and already raised over $5,000.  

Perry Lee said, “I’ve been doing the Fight for Air Climb for years in honor of my cousin Ann. After my own lung cancer diagnosis in 2019, I know personally what it means to fight lung disease.  Participating in this event alongside my first responder brothers and sisters gives me a sense of solidarity, a sense of hope, and it reminds me of what we are capable of when we all support each other.”
Respiratory diseases remain a significant health issue for firefighters and emergency responders. The Lung Association mission hits close to home with firefighters because of increased exposure to gases, chemicals and smoke in the line of duty. This exposure may result in the development of chronic issues, including lingering cough, hoarseness, asthma, and allergies and in more extreme cases, lung or bronchial cancer. One of the many pollutants found in smoke is particle pollution, which is a mix of tiny solid and liquid particles suspended in air so small that they enter and lodge deep in the lungs. Firefighters can inhale smoke and a wide range of chemicals that may be present in a burning building.

Among the heroes affected by lung disease include first responders to the site of the terrorist attack on Twin Towers in New York City on September 11, 2001, many of whom developed different variants of asthma, acute rhinitis, sinusitis, sore throat and acute cough. On that day, some firefighters’ lungs aged the equivalent of 10 to 12 years in the first weeks to months following the attack from the dust they breathed. The Lung Association’s mission hits close to home with firefighters because of their increased susceptibility to lung disease, including lung cancer due to exposure of gases, chemicals and smoke in the line of duty.

“Our firefighters are our everyday heroes who are subject to lung disease based on the very nature of their jobs. We are proud to honor our local firefighters and those across the nation who protect us from lethal smoke and step up to the cause every year to support our mission to protect the lung health of our communities,” said American Lung Association Executive Director in Metro New York, Carla Sterling.

The Fight For Air Firefighter Calendars will include fire-safety tips and statistics on how fires affect our lung health, as well as tips for how to train for your next Fight For Air Climb. Additionally, Lung Association volunteers and donors will be featured in the calendar to highlight how they acted nimbly and helped keep the mission of saving lives through improving lung health going stronger than ever.

For more information about the Fight For Air Firefighter Calendar visit Lung.org/calendar.

For media seeking to schedule a media interview with the New Jersey Firefighters, contact Jennifer Solomon at the American Lung Association at 516-680-8927 [email protected].