Firefighter crew aims for $10,000

Olivia Wallace, 3, helped out at the Ngongotaha Volunteer Fire Brigade's car wash yesterday. Photo / Ben Fraser

Firefighters are used to using water to put out fires, but yesterday they used it to help raise money.

The Ngongotaha Volunteer Fire Brigade will tackle Auckland's Sky Tower for Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand on May 23.

Ten of its firefighters will take on 51 flights of stairs, or 1103 individual stairs, and they have set themselves a fundraising target of $10,000. Yesterday they raised $1140.

"There's no Guinness record for it but I reckon we would give the fastest car wash record a go," said firefighter Kurt Rencher, who is the Sky Tower Challenge team captain.

"We timed a couple of cars and we got it down to a minute."

He said some 150 cars were washed at the station for a donation. Most people had given $5, but donations of up to $50 were also received.

"It was a good boost. None of this money is for us. It's all going to Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand."

Mr Rencher will be taking on the Sky Tower for the first time, despite entering and training for it in previous years. "Each year due to work commitments I've not been able to do it so I'm really looking forward to it ..."

He said Repco Rotorua had helped make yesterday's event possible by donating car-wash product. Anyone who wants to support the crew can get updates on their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ngoskytower