Furry-lipped firefighters

Posted on November 27, 2013 by Darin Sullivan in Earth, Fire, Main

Fire Brigade Employees’ Union (FBEU)
1-7 Belmore Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Telephone 02 9218 3444 Facsimile 02 9218 3488 E-mail office@fbeu.net Website http://www.fbeu.net

MEDIA RELEASE

Wednesday 27 November 2013
Furry-lipped firefighters shave into top spot in Movember Triple Zero Challenge, raising $20,000 for men’s health

Fifty-seven firefighters proudly sporting “handlebars”, “horseshoes”, “pencils” and “walruses”
have outgrown emergency service teams from across Australia, with their moustaches
raising a combined $20,000 for men’s health programs.

The joint Fire and Rescue NSW / Fire Brigade Employees’ Union team this week leapt into
top spot in the Movember ‘Triple Zero Challenge’ — a group of more than 100 teams from
fire, police, ambulance, and volunteer emergency services across the country — thanks to a
major donation from Pacific Brands Workwear.

FBEU president Darin Sullivan — who this year is sporting a horseshoe mo — said the
annual fundraising event for men’s health issues including depression and prostate cancer
had become a fixture in the fire service.

“We work in a tough industry, which comes with plenty of physical and psychological risks, so
men’s health issues hit particularly close to home for firefighters,” he said.
“We’ve all seen friends or colleagues who’ve suffered from prostate cancer, or struggled with
mental health issues, which is why so many firefighters signed up this year to help raise
money and awareness for these important causes.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the support we’ve received, not only from a major donor like
Pacific Brands, but also from the hundreds of friends, family members and fellow firefighters
who have kicked the can with whatever they could afford to donate.”

Mr Sullivan said the Triple Zero Challenge had already raised more than $160,000 this year,
which would fund the research, education, support, and awareness work of beyondblue, the
Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, and the Movember Foundation.

“With more than 100 teams from emergency services across the country, the competition has
been fierce, but we’re absolutely stoked to have shaved our way into the top spot on the
fundraising leader board thanks to the generous donations of fellow firefighters,” he said.
“With a few more days still to go our band of ‘Mo Bros’ are hustling hard to increase that
amount a little further, maximising the good work that can be funded in the year ahead.”

Media comment: Darin Sullivan — 0422 436 044