Senior firefighter Mick Bailey-Price has spent a career running into infernos, but his most vital fight is against an invisible enemy.
Before putting on the yellow uniform, he worked in the construction industry where he witnessed the devastating effects of isolation after a friend working in the mines died by suicide.
In the 14 years since, Mr Bailey-Price has mourned two more loved ones who struggled with mental health, his best mate's sister and a friend's father.
"It's pretty bad. I think everyone wonders what they could have done to help more," he said.
In his current role, which involves attending fatalities, one job has remained etched in his memory.
It was the last day before school holidays when firefighters were called to help paramedics responding to a suicide. He recalled the patient died just as their young son walked through the front door.
"We're in this job to try and help people, and when you get to a suicide and the family's arriving ... there's nothing you can do," Mr Bailey-Price, who is also a peer supporter at ACT Fire and Rescue, said.
"That is what weighs on you the most."
Channelling that helplessness into practical support, he is joining fellow firefighters on a 32-kiliometre trek on the Mount Ainslie trail with the goal of raising $50,000 for Lifeline Canberra.
The first responders will do gruelling laps of Mount Ainslie, while carrying 12 kilograms of breathing apparatus gear, to collectively simulate conquering the world's highest peak, Mount Everest.
[On a call] you can hear the trauma. Some people are just sobbing. Some people are screaming. Some people are silent ...
While Mr Bailey-Price could lean on a network of family and friends for support, benefit from peer counselling at work and regularly see a psychologist to "stay on top of things", he said not everyone was as fortunate.
"For me, Lifeline is a pretty important cause. What they do for people who don't have support networks is super valuable," he said.
"Physical exercise is one of the best things for it ... I think staying on top of your mental health requires just a little bit of input all the time.
He added: "There's always light at the end of the tunnel, but finding someone to talk to is the most important thing."
His "Ainslie to Everest" physical challenge also reflects a broader uphill battle in the capital according to Lifeline Canberra's interim chief executive, Adam Miller.
He said 36,000 Canberrans called the crisis support service in 2025-2026, a massive increase from 19,000 calls in 2024-2025.
Mr Miller said the average call duration had increased from 18 minutes pre-COVID to nearly 24 minutes today as crisis supporters helped callers navigate multi-layered hardships.
"Financial stress is very predominant in why people are calling at the moment," he said.
Mr Miller said although the ACT boasted high rates of professional mental health support per capita, long waiting lists meant many Canberrans turned to Lifeline as a crucial safety net while waiting for expert care.
For those reaching out in their darkest hours, volunteers like Rollo Brett are waiting on the other end of the line.
Twice a week, the 83-year-old takes the 8pm to midnight shift, speaking to callers presenting with a range of struggles including loneliness, family violence, financial stress or suicidal ideation.
"[On a call] you can hear the trauma. Some people are just sobbing. Some people are screaming. Some people are silent ...," Mr Brett said.
"They've had the courage to pick up the phone and speak to somebody, it's our honor to stick with it."
The Ainslie to Everest event will kick off at 6am on October 17. You can donate to their fundraiser here.
