Mr O'Keeffe and his wife Lara lost their second-born child, Lachlan, in September, 2013, when he was still-born at 37 weeks, sending their "world crashing down".

"Leaving the hospital without Lachlan is the hardest thing we've ever had to do," he said.

The 29-year-old firefighter rallied the troops at the Ainslie fire station on Thursday to promote Red Nose Day on Friday for SIDS and Kids ACT - an organisation that also helped his family in their time of need.

ACT Fire and Rescue trucks and the Ainslie and Belconnen fire stations and a training tower at Hume are also sporting giant red noses to support Red Nose Day.

Mr O'Keeffe said having his workmates simply talk about Lachlan made a big difference to him.

"To come back to work and have the crew ask about Lachlan, I really liked that, I appreciated that," he said.

"The easy option is to not talk about it, pretend it didn't happen. And understandably it makes some people feel uncomfortable. But for the most part people were asking me about him and it really helped me to get back talking about Lachlan."

What also helped Mr O'Keeffe was a colleague, who had been through a similar experience, recommending that he and his wife get in contact with SIDS and Kids ACT, which offers counselling and other services for families who have suffered the loss of a child, right from early pregnancy through to childhood.

"It's certainly hard at first to start talking but it made such a difference, for Lara and I to get back on our feet," Mr O'Keeffe said.

"I think at one stage we were seeing the counsellor once or twice a week. Our counsellor had lost her little boy too and it made a big difference talking to someone who understood the emotions and feelings."

The couple were thankful for the welcome distraction of their oldest child Chloe, now three, in those difficult days and months following Lachlan's death. They have also since welcomed Amelia, who was born seven months ago.

"To hear that first cry, it made the world. It was a fantastic feeling and something I'll never forget," Mr O'Keeffe said.

SIDS and Kids ACT chief executive officer Lisa Ridgley said volunteers would be out in force on Friday selling Red Noses Day products while retailers would be selling merchandise until the end of the month.

Eight babies died each day in Australia due to health complications at birth, stillbirth and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, she said.

"We receive on average two new referrals every week and for every little one that dies, more than 60 people are impacted and may require counselling and support," Ms Ridgley said.

* To buy a Red Nose Day product or make a donation go to www.rednoseday.com.au