Duluth Firefighters host stair climb in remembrance of 9/11

DULUTH, Minn. — In remembrance of the 24th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks, Duluth firefighters hosted their annual memorial stair climb.

Starting at 8:46 am, firefighters from around the area, Air National Guard Fire, and Lake Superior College fire students took part in the 2,200-step climb at the DECC.

Duluth Fire Chief, Shawn Krizaj highlighted the continued importance of this form of remembrance, 24 years after the tragedy.

You know, we always hear coming out of at 911, the slogan,  “never forget”,  and it takes times like these, days like today, to actually remember. We’ve got a lot of our younger fire department staff who weren’t even born in 2001,” said Krizaj.

Attendees paid tribute to 343 firefighters and other service providers who lost their lives by climbing the equivalent of the 110 stories of
the World Trade Center.

“If it were something everyone could do, I would encourage them to do it. This little taste of not just what it had to of been like on that day you know I did 40 up and down on the lower bowl, and I’m in relatively good shape and it was a push”, said Duluth Mayor Roger Reinert who particapted in the climb.  “then you think, first of all what our firefighters do on a daily basis, what it demands of their bodies over a career doing that work.”

Attendees took about 25-30 minutes to complete the climb, which was done in full gear and airtanks.