BOSTON, Massachusetts (NEWS CENTER) - The Auburn Fire Department took first place in the American Lung Association's Fight For Air stair climb Saturday in Boston.

Auburn beat the reigning champs, Portland, by four seconds.

The stair climb is open to anyone in New England. Participants race up 82 flights of stairs. Teams or individuals raise money for the American Lung Association in order to race.

Civilians race in their workout clothes in the morning. Fire Departments from all over get the chance to race in the afternoon. But they race in full firefighting gear.

Firefighters with the Auburn Department trained particularly hard this year after placing second to Portland in 2012.

Firefighters that NEWS CENTER spoke with say it is a tough climb but it's a worth cause. The A.L.A. says teams have helped raise more than $370,000 for the organization.

NEWS CENTER