Three Lake Country firefighters climbed Spion Kop to raise money

Photo: District of Lake Country

Three Lake Country firefighters climbed a gruelling 2.64-kilometre trail Saturday in full firefighting gear, all to raise money for their Movember initiative.

Firefighters Hobbs, Bloomer and Bone all donned their 60-pounds of gear Saturday afternoon and hiked up Lake Country's Spion Kop, gaining more than 220 metres of elevation. They did the entire climb breathing through their self-contained breathing apparatus.

“Performing this climb 'on air' is a challenge in itself; breathing 'bottled air' restricts the oxygen intake and ability to recover during the approximate 2.63-km climb,” the District of Lake Country posted to their Facebook page.

The three firefighters are raising money for mens' health through the Movember initiative, raising awareness around prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention.

Firefighter Mark Hobbs organized the event. His father is a prostate cancer survivor and the father and son duo climbed the hike together Saturday.

The Lake Country Fire Department's Movember fundraising initiative has surpassed their $2,000 goal, but donations can still be made.