By Cam Lucadou-Wells
For the eighth time, Keysborough CFA’s Wayne Aumann has completed the gruelling Melbourne Firefighter Stair Climb Challenge.
Again, he hauled 25 kilograms of kit up 28 flights of stairs and raised dollars for fighting depression, post-traumatic stress and suicide in the emergency services.
He joined 600 other firefighters on the ascent of Crown Metrapol Hotel on 10 September. Together they raised $500,000 for Lifeline, Fortem and the 000 Foundation.
Since 2015, Third Lieut Aumann has raised more than $6500 for the cause – $1650 this year alone.
A 37-year veteran with CFA, he says the seven-minute climb with full breathing apparatus isn’t getting easier.
“It takes a lot of effort, the heart gets racy. But I got to the top.”
He’s known many in the emergency services who’ve been unable to cope with the stress. Some who have taken their lives.
He says it’s so important for fireys to open up and talk, to relieve the immense stress from “what we come across day to day”.
Especially volunteers, who tend to go straight home after a job rather than debrief at the station.
Support has improved vastly since when he started 35 years ago. It was a culture of “toughen up, it’ll be OK”.
“These days people are more accepting of what needs to be done.”
CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said it was great for emergency service personnel to come together and take the challenge head-on for a worthy cause.
“This is a fantastic physical event that our CFA volunteers have been enthusiastically participating in for nine years running now,” he said.
“We’re coming out of an incredibly tough few years which no doubt have taken their toll on people’s mental health in many ways, so it’s great to support these issues by finally coming together for some friendly competition and exercise.”
Details: www.firefighterclimb.org.au
