Eight officers from Tamworth's two fire stations have been preparing for the Firies Climb for Motor Neurone Disease in November, raising funds for research into the neurological disease.

For most of them, it will be their second crack at the gruelling challenge, which they undertook for the first time last year.

And they're more than willing to put themselves through it, if it means getting one step closer to a cure for the terminal illness - and sympathising in a small way with people who suffer from it.

"At the moment, it kills two people a day and there are two new diagnoses a day," station 452 deputy captain Colin Ferguson said.

"There is no known cure and nothing that really extends life; it's a terminal disease.

"No one knows the causes or factors, either - a lot of research is needed."

Read also:

The stair climb will take place in Sydney's tallest building - the Tower Eye - on November 9, and 600 firies are expected to take part.

Station 508 retained firefighter Jason Lee said fitness was no problem, but it got very hot during the climb - done in structural boots and helmet, thermally insulated turnout trousers and jackets, and carrying breathing apparatus.

"At the end you feel very weak, which I suppose may be how people with MND feel constantly," he said.

The locals have included climb preparations in their training for months, and already have $1595 in donations towards their target of $5000.

The money will go to Australia's biggest MND research centre at Macquarie University.

The team will be at Tamworth Running Festival on Sunday, raising fire safety awareness as well as funds towards the MND challenge and the 2019 Australasian Firefighter Championships, which will be held in Tamworth in October.