Duluth Firefighters Honor 9/11 First Responders

11 firefighters climb 110 stories on stair-climbers at the Downtown Duluth YMCA

DULUTH, Minn. – As part of honoring the sacrifices made back on September 11, 2001, Duluth firefighters climbed 110 stories on stair-climbers.

That’s equal to the height of the World Trade Center, which hundreds of first responders climbed on 9/11.

Not only did eleven Duluth firefighters climb 110 stories, they did it wearing their full turnout gear, which can weigh more than forty pounds.

All that equipment is designed to keep heat out, but it also keeps warmth in, which firefighters say made the climb extra tough.

But for them it’s worth it to remember those who gave their lives to save others back on that faithful day.

“We lost a lot of men and women that day and they knew, in a lot of ways, they weren’t coming home that night when they saw what they were about to fight so putting yourself in that mindset and trying to pay your respects to some very brave men and women,” said Duluth firefighter Andrew Olson.

The stair climb collected donations for the Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial in Colorado.

This is the first year the Duluth Fire Department has taken part in the nationwide fundraiser.

Fire Chief Shawn Krizaj even got in on the action, taking the climb first thing in the morning.

“It’s a little different than sitting at my desk, I’ll tell you that. It kind of felt good to put on an air pack again and turnout gear and do something a little physical,” said Krizaj. “I made it through it, I was a little slower than Andrew was, but I did do all the 110 stories.”

The event was for a solemn cause, but the firefighters had a little fun competing with each other trying to climb the stairs as quickly as possible.

They tell us the fastest climb took about twenty minutes.