Sky Tower Challenge: Firefighters carry 25kg up 1103 steps wearing masks

Levin firefighters Hadley Buckley, Chris Craig, Stu Bailey and Carl McIlwee. Missing is Sandi Smith, who was out on an emergency call at the time of the photo.

Volunteer firefighters are trained to fight fires, but tomorrow they roll up their sleeves to help in the fight against cancer.

A local contingent will join firefighters from around New Zealand at the base of the Sky Tower in Auckland tomorrow morning for the annual fundraiser for leukaemia and blood cancer research.

Five firefighters from the Levin station had entered. It was the fifth time Chris Craig had entered, while Stu Bailey and Sandi Smith had done it twice before and Hadley Buckley once.

It would be the first time Carl McIlwee had entered. He had managed to raise more than $3000 for the cause, too, a figure that ranked him in the top 25 fundraisers nationwide.

Bailey, who was in fine physical shape, said preparation was key as there was nowhere to hide. Those that had done it before were giving McIlwee some advice for what was to come.

"It's as much mental as it is physical," he said.

Levin firefighter Stu Bailey.

Firefighters have to maintain a good level of fitness as part of their job, but competing in the Sky Tower challenge was not for the faint of heart.

The local crews had all been training hard in recent months - they had to. The task was gruelling to say the least.

There were 1103 steps and 51 storeys in the 328m Sky Tower building, which firefighters would climb dressed in full uniform - including masks - and carrying 25kg of equipment on their backs.

They took the elevator down.

Everyone had different techniques to help them to the top. Some preferred not to look at the story numbers as they climbed, while others liked to break the task down into micro-challenges, like grouping the floors into sets of 10.

So far more than $1 million had been raised. As of yesterday the Levin station had raised more than $7050, ranking it in the top 50 stations in New Zealand for funds raised, while the Ōtaki station was only a few dollars behind that mark.

Levin volunteer firefighter Sandi Smith.

The largest amount raised so far was $26,000 by a station in Pukekohe.

Waitarere Beach Volunteer Fire Brigade would be represented by Simon Campbell, and firefighters from Ōtaki, Paraparaumu and Waikanae stations would also be represented.

Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand (LBC) is the national organisation dedicated to supporting patients and their families living with a blood cancer – leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma or a related blood condition.

Every day seven New Zealanders were diagnosed with a blood cancer or related condition.