Five Garland Fire Department firefighters participated in the annual Dallas 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb, a 110-story climb to honor the 343 firefighters who gave all and lost their lives Sept. 11, 2001.
Tim Casey, Mike Arriaga, Frank Durham, Robert Williams and Steph Bouillion participated in the stair climb which raises money for fallen firefighter and police officer funds.
Thanks to the firefighters who represented the Garland Fire Department in this tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice Sept. 11, 2001.
About the Dallas 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb: The climb is not a race, but a tribute honoring the sacrifices of fallen heroes. Fulfilling a promise to “Never Forget” their brothers and sisters who have died in the line of duty, the number of participants making the climb is the same as the number of firefighters, law enforcement officers and EMTs that died at Ground Zero. All climbers wear the name and picture of the hero they are climbing for.
Event history: The first known 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb event occurred September 11, 2003 during “Operation Enduring Freedom” in Parwan Province, Afghanistan when the future Albuquerque Fire Department Lieutenant Charles Cogburn scaled a two-story building 55 times wearing body armor, a helmet and an M-4.
Cogburn returned home and on Sept.11, 2004, the climb was brought back to Albuquerque and given the title Albuquerque Firefighters Memorial Stair Climb. Firefighters from Engine 5 and Engine 2 were dispatched at 8:46am, which is the time that FDNY units were initially dispatched, to the Bank of Albuquerque. The building is 22 stories high and it was climbed five times.
There are numerous 9/11 stair climbs throughout the country.