EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. – Firefighters, law enforcement officers, and other first responders from across the region will gather at Red Hawk Resort and Casino on Friday, September 11, for a memorial stair climb honoring those who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
Hosted by Red Hawk Resort and Casino and the El Dorado County Fire Protection District, the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb will begin at 9:00 a.m. in the first-floor parking structure at Red Hawk. Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. Participants
will climb the equivalent of 110 stories, representing the height of the World Trade Center towers.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001, when 2,977 people were killed in the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and aboard Flight 93. Among those who made the ultimate sacrifice were 343 members of the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY), New York Fire Patrol member Keith Roma, 23 New York City Police Department officers and 37 Port Authority Police Department officers. The memorial also honors the many first responders and recovery workers who have since died from illnesses related to their service at and around the World Trade Center site.
Participants will complete 14 trips through the designated stairwell to reach the equivalent of 110 floors. Many will climb in turnout gear, duty uniforms, helmets and other response equipment as a physical and symbolic tribute to the first responders who entered the World Trade Center that morning.
“Twenty-five years later, the courage and sacrifice demonstrated on September 11 remain deeply significant to first responders across the country,” said Fire Chief Brad Gates. “We climb to remember those who gave their lives that day, those who have since died from 9/11-related illnesses, the civilians who were lost, and the families who continue to carry their memory. It is our responsibility to make sure their sacrifice is never forgotten.”
Participating agencies and organizations are expected to include El Dorado County Fire Protection District, CAL FIRE, the U.S. Forest Service, Tribal Fire, San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District, the Firefighters Burn Institute and Marshall Medical Center, along with other local fire, law enforcement and emergency response organizations.