Leading firefighters Keith Miles, left, John Skinner, firefighter Richard Black and station officer Tony Devereux need little preparation for the Eureka Tower run. 72908 Picture: JOE MASTROIANNI
By Laura Wakely
RUNNING up the 1642 stairs of the Eureka Tower in under 15 minutes is an impressive feat.
Now imagine doing that climb in metal capped boots, a helmet and full firefighting gear.
That’s what the Aviation Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) Tullamarine crew is attempting this weekend.
Up to 16 members will take part in the Eureka Climb on Sunday 13 November, which raises money for the Australian children’s charity White Lion and international medical charity Interplast.
This is the second year leading firefighter Arron Downes has competed in the event, which he is hoping will be a yearly challenge for the crew.
“It’s a good way for the fire service to showcase its abilities,” Arron said.
“Being at the airports around the country we don’t have the exposure of a CFA or MFB so there’s probably not a wide spectrum of the public that know about us.”
The ARRF is a Federal Government organisation that looks after air services around the country.
“Our core business is obviously looking after aircraft and the airport but we also look after everywhere in a kilometre radius in the airport,” Arron said.
“That means monitoring hundreds of fire alarms, including aircraft hangers, warehouses, fuel farms.
“Fuel fires are our bread and
butter but we’re also trained in anything from structural fire fighting, traffic crashes and we’re also first responder for any first aid incidents in the airport.”
The intense and varied nature of the job means every crew member needs to be extremely fit.
So fit in fact, that the crew will do very little to prepare for the Eureka Climb outside their daily regime.
But that doesn’t mean the task isn’t intimidating.
“The tower is 300 metres vertical and there’s 88 floors,” Arron said.
“There are more stairs in the Eureka Tower than there are in the Empire State Building.”
The winner of last year’s race to the top finished in just over eight minutes, but the ARFF crew, in all their gear, will need a little longer.
“It’s pretty hot and dusty in the stairwell,” Arron said.
“But it’s a good feeling and we’re all pretty happy to get to the top.
“It’s a great sense of achievement for everybody.”
The 2011 Eureka Climb will
take place at the Eureka Tower in Southbank from 7am on Sunday
13 November.
To sponsor the ARFF team or to find out more about the event visit www.eurekaclimb.org.au
