Five firefighters from Mount Taylor will join 600 firefighters from all over the world to battle it out at the sixth annual Melbourne Firefighter Stair Climb on Saturday, September 7.

Mount Taylor Captain, Geoff Crane, Lieutenants, Grant Stewart, Lachie Nichols and John Pruscino, and firefighter, Dylan Grayham, will be climbing with members from other local fire brigades including Bairnsdale, Paynesville, Bruthen and Johnsonville.

These firefighters are “Stepping up to fight depression, PTSI and suicide”, the event will benefit the Emergency Services Foundation, Black Dog Institute and Lifeline.

“The climb will pit firefighters against each other in a grueling challenge of fitness and strength,” Captain, Geoff Crane, said.

“We will compete wearing 25 kilograms of protective clothing and breathing apparatus, in an event that simulates our actions at a high rise building fire.

“Starting at street level, we will race up the 28 floors of the Crown Metropol Hotel.”

Event director, Steve Axup, said the climb has been a tremendous success, raising in excess of $1.8 million for burns, cancer, children’ s health and mental health charities in the past five years.

“This year our firefighters are aiming to raise $700,000 to fund research, improve support services, remove stigmas and raise awareness of these pressing mental health issues” he said.

“The statistics are quite alarming with one in four Australians suffering from a mental illness in their lifetime, eight people a day die by suicide and 10 per cent of emergency services suffering the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI)”.

To donate, visit the firefighter climb website and search ‘Mount Taylor’.

PICTURED: Mount Taylor firefighters, Captain, Geoff Crane, Lieutenants, Grant Stewart, Lachie Nichols and John Pruscino, and firefighter, Dylan Grayham, will be climbing 28 floors of the Crown Metropol Hotel with members from other local fire brigades including Bairnsdale, Paynesville, Bruthen and Johnsonville, raising money for Emergency Services Foundation, Black Dog Institute and Lifeline.