Firefighter Scott McGraw is gearing up for the annual Eureka Tower Climb. 71776 Picture: NICOLE SULTANA
By Charlene Gatt
MEET the Maidstone firefighter who plans to run up Eureka Tower. Three times.
Scott McGraw, 38, is gearing up for the annual Eureka Tower Climb and is hoping to make three times the charm after completing the race twice last year.
Mr McGraw placed fourth in the Elite section in a time of nine minutes and 18 seconds, then threw on his MFB gear – weighing in at 15 kilograms – and did it for a second time, taking 13.30 minutes.
“I like the idea of a challenge,” he said.
The Eureka Tower’s 1642 steps over 88 levels attracts elite athletes, celebrities, emergency services personnel and the general public alike.
Mr McGraw was an accountant for 10 years and an adult electrical apprentice before becoming a firefighter four years ago.
He said the Eureka Tower Climb was a great way to test out his fitness.
“Stair-climbing is part of our job and I’m quite passionate about the event because we as firefighters should be good at it and we get an opportunity to demonstrate that to the public as well.
“As a firefighter, I’m stationed at South Melbourne and Eureka is actually in my turn-out area, so if something was to happen at Eureka I would go there.
“If there was a fire on any level, we would have to walk up the stairs to get there.”
The climb raises money for disadvantaged young people at home and abroad through two charities, Whitelion and Interplast Australia.
Last year’s event raised over $177,000.
Luckily for Mr McGraw and the MFB, they have some good relationships with building managers in the city, allowing them to get in a bit of weekend training before the climb on 13 November.
“It’s a violent effort for a short period of time.
“Your heart races, and you can only go as hard as your body will let you … you can’t run the whole way, it’s not possible, you have to walk some of it.
“I practice with sprinting at intervals to get used to performing at a very high intensity level.”
