Walking up 41 flights of stairs is enough of a workout for most people. Now think about doing it wearing an extra 65 pounds of firefighting gear.

That's exactly what 16 Wareham firefighters did in Boston last Saturday at the 10th annual Fight For Air Climb: Race Up Boston Place. The event is a fundraiser for the American Lung Association. This was the first year the Wareham Fire Department participated in the event, which draws firefighters, friends and families from all across New England.

"It was a really good time. We plan on making it an annual tradition," said Wareham firefighter Dana Lofgren, who got the department involved in this year's event.

Lofgren said he found out about the climb from a friend who is a firefighter in West Barnstable and whose mother was afflicted with a lung disease. Lofgren, whose stepmother is on the donor list for a bilateral lung transplant, decided to get his fire department involved as well.

He said little by little word got around the department and they eventually ended up with 16 firefighters, ranging from assistant chief to recruit firefighter, racing up the stairs at One Boston Place.

Even though it was the first year for the department they certainly left their mark on the event.

According to Lofgren, Wareham raised more money than any of the other 46 fire departments the event, with a total of $8,500.

Wareham's top finisher, Justin Paling, traversed the 41 flights of stairs in 10:22, finishing 89th out of the 499 competing firefighters.

"It wasn't easy but we all made it," Lofgren said.