By Vikki Conwell
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

ATLANTA — Firefighter Halani Lobdell rushes into burning buildings without hesitation, but running up 1,378 steps in an empty skyscraper caused her to stop in her tracks.

When Lobdell and members of DeKalb Fire Rescue arrived at last year's Climb Atlanta, an annual competitive run to the top of one of the tallest buildings in the Southeast, the six-year veteran felt a bit unnerved.

"Just looking at the size of the building was very intimidating," Lobdell said of the 55-story BentleyForbes-Bank of America Plaza building on Peachtree Street, where the event is held.

"We stuck together, and we were fine."

Better than fine, DeKalb Fire Rescue won the firefighter challenge of the race, and Lobdell took the top prize for fastest female in the 21-26 age group. The physical conditioning firefighters receive on a daily basis, including working out at the station, prepares them for the competition and their jobs, she said.

This year's vertical race will take place at 9 a.m. Saturday. More than 100 firefighters — wearing about 35 pounds of gear, including helmet, coat, pants, boots, gloves and liner — are expected to compete in the event that attracts 1,000 other participants.

Keeping fit is a job requirement, said Cobb County firefighter Rob Hiller, who walks, runs, swims or rides mountain bikes every day to stay in shape for the physical demands. When a fire breaks out in a high-rise office building, there's a greater than 70 percent chance the elevators are not going to be working, he said. So climbing five to 15 flights of stairs is common.

"The job itself is incentive enough to stay active," said the 12-year veteran, who also noted that the No. 1 cause of on-duty deaths in firefighters is heart attack, according to the National Fire Protection Association. "Just that statistic alone is motivation for me to get out and walk or do something physical every day."

Climbing towering skyscrapers is not common in Austell, where the tallest building is just three stories high. So firefighter Gary Etheridge uses the challenge to help keep his body prepared for the unexpected and to rekindle the competitive spirit among his fellow firefighters.

"It ends up being a bit of a competition between the guys," said Etheridge, a 14-year veteran.

Copyright 2008 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution