Two groups of Tri-Cities first responders have pushed the Mo to the max, placing in the top five in their respective categories for Movember fundraisers staged across Canada.

Members of the Coquitlam RCMP raised $12,739, netting the local force third place in the nation in Movember totals amongst police agencies. Sgt. David Fee, of the local RCMP's traffic division, raised the most of any local Mountie with a total of $1,001.

PoCo firefighters, on the other hand, raised $12,794, a total that earned them the fifth-highest fundraising total in the nationwide "Great Canadian Fire Department Challenge."

The bulk of that money, just under $10,500, was raised via a hockey tournament staged last weekend at Coquitlam's Planet Ice.

"A huge accomplishment for a small department of only 63 members, I feel this is incredible to share the top spots with other departments 10 or more times our size," PoCo firefighter Ryan Masi said in an e-mail to The NOW.

Final Movember fundraising totals were unavailable by NOW deadline for the Port Moody Police Department, Coquitlam Fire & Rescue and Port Moody Fire Department.

All monies raised from each of the five groups will be donated to the Movember Canada movement, which directs funds towards men's health issues - specifically prostate cancer and male mental health initiatives.

jkurucz@thenownews.com