The Richmond Volunteer Fire Brigade has its largest team ever for its ongoing tradition in the Big Smoke of Auckland.
Eleven of the brigade’s 31 members will race up the second tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere on 18 May to spark funds for a worthy cause.
The annual Firefighter Sky Tower Challenge is the optimum challenge for firefighters across Aotearoa to burn through the pain, ascending the 51 flights of the tower’s stairs to fundraise for Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand (LBC).
LBC provides essential support for patients and their families, as well as funding research into blood cancer, raising awareness and advocating for patients.
The event marks its 20-year climb this year.
Station officer John Kingsbury, who has captained the Richmond team for the past three years, says the record number of Richmond firefighters taking part in 2024 includes four newbies, Josh Ratcliffe, Willow Dobson, James Newton, and Craig Clayworth.
“Some people have been intending to do it for quite a long time, they’re motivated by the good cause, and they’ve decided this is the year to give it a go,” he says.
“Everybody has their own training regime, some go to the gym, some people, like myself, train in the Richmond Hills in my firefighting gear carrying a steel breathing apparatus cylinder.
“Others do tramping trips and anything that contributes to general fitness.”
The challenge requires firefighters to be in full structural firefighting gear with a breathing apparatus and carrying a 25kg carbon fibre cylinder up 51 flights of the 328m tower’s stairs.
“It’s an individual event, and the time for our brigade ranges from about 14 or 15 minutes through to about 30,” John says. “It’s about being able to push through the pain and weakness that impacts most of us at some stage on the steps.”
John, who will take part in his ninth climb this year, says he and Ashley McCabe will also compete in the Firefighter of Steel category which involves climbing an additional 10 flights and carrying a heavier steel cylinder.
He says the team raised around $29,000 for LBC last year and this year have already raised close to $18,000. Online donations will remain open for around four weeks after 18 May.
To help the Richmond Volunteer Fire Brigade in their fundraising efforts, go here.
Meanwhile, a Stoke firefighting duo will also scale the second tallest building in the southern hemisphere for the flaming good cause.
The Stoke Volunteer Fire Brigade has participated for roughly the last 15 years.
Jamie Foskett has captained the Stoke team for around three years and will attempt to conquer the 328m tower for the fourth time with second-year entrant for Stoke, Lindsay Kelly.
Stoke deputy chief fire officer Matt van der Heyden is also suiting up for the climb with the Nelson Airport Fire Service team.
Jamie says he and Lindsay have been regularly training, including racing up the Tamaki Steps and competing in the National Firefighter Challenge in Wellington on 3 and 4 May.
Last year they raised around $10,000 for LBC and the duo hope to raise as much as they can in 2024.
“We tend to go to local events with our gear and [donation] buckets, and talk to people about the event,” he says.
“We also approach local businesses, and we get the word out through people that we know via social media.
“I appreciate all the support anyone can offer us, it’s such a good cause, we love doing it every year and enjoy the challenge.”
To help the Stoke Volunteer Fire Brigade in their fundraising efforts, go here.
