Hunterville Fire Brigade challenged in Sky Tower Climb

Climbing 51 flights of stairs up the Auckland Sky Tower was a team effort for the Hunterville Volunteer Fire Brigade.

Tash Richmond, Murray Richmond, Sarah Lilburn and Lee-Ann Hodgson all partook in the annual Firefighter Sky Tower Stair Challenge to raise money for Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand.

The team raised $1935 which Sarah Lilburn says was kindly donated by friends and family of the group.

For the Richmonds, it was their third time climbing but for Lilburn and Hodgson it was the second time around and Lilburn says she found it a lot harder this time around.

The team had to walk 1103 steps while wearing a kit weighing 25kg.

"I'm pretty proud we all finished by its really hard work," she says.

Lilburn finished with a time of 25.44 minutes, Tash Richmond with a time of 25.15 minutes and Murray Richmond with a time of 28.12 minutes while all wearing BA cylinders and oxygen masks.

Hodgson, a firefighter in training could not wear a mask as she is not BA donned qualified, got a time of 25.52 minutes.

"It was really hot and difficult as you are breathing in the hot stale air and there's no ventilation until the top," she says.

Hodgson's middle child had the possibility of being diagnosed with blood cancer when she was younger so the event was very important to her.

"It's always good to have a goal especially when it's for an amazing cause.

"It gave me a really good sense of achievement," she says.

Overall the event raised over $1.3 million that will be put towards research, education packs, emergency assistance, counselling sessions and support groups for patients and families affected by blood cancer.