MORNING joggers might have been taken aback on Sunday when firefighters descended on Rosalind Park's poppet head.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
There was no emergency.
Five volunteer firefighters hurled themselves up the tower over and over again in preparation for a charity climb.
It was one of the few times the Kangaroo Flat Fire Brigade members have been able to train together ahead of next month's Melbourne Firefighter Stair Climb.
The busy firefighters juggle their duties with work and family, so they usually train alone.
The poppet head has one of the few large, publicly available staircases to train on in Bendigo, making it the best option for honing skills and beating personal bests.
The team will climb 28 floors of the Crown Metropolitan Hotel on September 10 wearing 25kg of thick turnout gear and breathing equipment.
That is what they wear and breath with when they race into burning buildings.
Firefighters typically walk at a brisk pace up stairs during fires, brigade communications officer Andrew Excell said.
"It's a strong, fast-paced walk at the speed just before you break out into a jog," he said.
"Running leads to tripping and we don't want people injured on the job, especially when they are carrying stuff like hoses."
Kangaroo Flat's crew members might not climb a lot of skyscrapers but their training will help them battle infernos in central Victoria, Mr Excell said.
Crew members are focusing on weight training and cardio at their gyms on days they are not beating a path up stairs.
The Melbourne event is organised by firefighters to tackle depression, post traumatic stress injuries and suicide in the emergency services and defence communities.
It has in the past attracted people from such far flung places as Europe and North America.
Organisers have so far raised more than a third of their $600,000 target, with about 20 more days left until the stair climb begins.
The money will go to Lifeline, Fortem Australia and the 000Foundation.
To donate to the Kangaroo Flat fire Brigade's stair climb fundraiser visit www.firefighterclimb.org.au/station/cfa/kangaroo-flat
For help in a tough moment, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Now just one tap with our new app. Digital subscribers now have the convenience of faster news, right at your fingertips with the Bendigo Advertiser. See how to download it below:
Tom O'Callaghan
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
