Climbing 28 flights of stairs while wearing a full firefighter’s uniform, helmet and breathing apparatus sounds like a tough task.
But this is exactly what nine volunteers from the Wyndham Vale CFA will do next month, all in the name of charity.
On September 2, the CFA volunteers will join the annual Melbourne Firefighter Stair Climb – a gruelling 437-stair climb at the Crown Metropol in Melbourne. The climb is a fundraiser for the Firefighter’s Charity Fund, which donates money raised to different charities every year.
This year, the stairclimb will support Lifeline and the Black Dog Institute, in addition to raising awareness of depression, post traumatic stress disorder and suicide.
Two young volunteers from the Wyndham Vale CFA – 26-year-old Scott Langdon and 18-year-old Brittany Harris – are in training for the climb. Mr Langdon said all participants in the climb would be wearing their firefighting uniforms and carrying a 25 kilogram tank of compressed air on their backs.
“Firefighters from all over the world attend, and doing it for charity is a great thing as well,” Mr Langdon said.
“It’s a really good cause close to a lot of peoples’ hearts, not just emergency services members.
“Every dollar [raised] counts,” he said.
So far, the Wyndham Vale CFA unit has raised $1580 for the event.
