PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) -- Rhode Island residents, first responders and firefighters participated in the American Lung Association's annual 'Fight For Air Climb' at Providence's Omni Hotel on Saturday. This yearly event's goal is to raise awareness for lung disease and lung cancer research and advocacy. Participants climbed a total of 348 steps. "I've done this for many years," Nicholas Adam, a Cranston firefighter who participated and has asthma, told 12 News. "It's one of my favorite events to do only because I'm not really a runner, I'm kind of a sprinter. It opens your eyes to how hard it is to climb so many flights of stairs. We do train a lot relative to this kind of thing, so it's just a fun event for us." For the first responders, they climbed these stairs while wearing their gear. Adam said that for him climbing with the gear on is rough when getting to the 15th floor. He added during that moment a "Mind over matter, just push hard" mentality got him through those last steps. The event also looked to raise over $135,000 for this cause. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup SIGN UP NOW