Memorial Stair Climb in Kansas City honors firefighters killed on 9/11

Firefighters from across the Midwest gathered in Kansas City on Sunday for the fifth annual Memorial Stair Climb to honor their colleagues killed in the 9-11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City.

It took only four minutes when registration began on June 1 to fill up the 343 slots for the climb at the Town Pavilion building downtown. That’s how many firefighters lost their lives on the day of the attack.

“The reason we do it is so we never forget what happened to our 343 brothers,” said Tom Hoegler of the Olathe Fire Department, who was operations chief for the climb. “They tried to get to the 110th floor that day on 9-11 and they didn’t make it, and now these guys come down here and say, ‘Hey brother, you tried to get up there and you couldn’t so I’m going to finish it for you.’ It just brings closure for a lot of the firemen.”

Proceeds from registration fees and T-shirt sales go to the Surviving Spouse and Family Endowment Fund for survivors of fallen police, fire and emergency medical providers.

Participating firemen climbed the Town Pavilion’s 34 floors three times and then some before ringing a bell at the completion of 110 floors. They wore full gear and carried a photograph of one of those killed on their backs.

Fifty-four firefighters were on the standby list. The lobby of the building was full of firefighters and their families for the all day event, which was carried out in three heats.

This year’s event occurred under the shadow of a terrorist threat allegedly made by a 20-year-old Florida man. Joshua R. Goldberg was charged last week with inciting online a bomb attack on the Kansas City stair climb.

“It is scary to know there is still those people out there who choose to harm the country, harm our way of life,” said Kansas City Fire Chief Paul Berardi, who attended the stair climb.

This story was originally published September 13, 2015 at 11:22 AM with the headline "Memorial Stair Climb in Kansas City honors firefighters killed on 9/11."