Austin Fire Department takes part in 9/11 memorial stair climb

AFD 9/11 memorial stair climb

Austin firefighters honored the heroic actions of the first responders who answered the call on Sept. 11, 24 years ago. Austin firefighters took part in the memorial stair climb.

AUSTIN, Texas - Austin firefighters are honoring the heroic actions of first responders who answered the call on September 11, 2001, 24 years ago, by climbing the Pleasant Valley training tower Thursday morning.

Local perspective:

"It’s a slow climb, it’s a deliberate climb, to remember the fallen," Austin Fire Department Lt. Jerry Cohen said.

Every September, they climb, not for fitness, but for memory.

At the 9/11 memorial stair climb in Austin, firefighters and service members walk up 1,368 feet, the equivalent of the height of the World Trade Center.

"We did our first climb on 9-12-2001. We’ve been doing it every year ever since the day after 9–11," Lt. Cohen said.

9/11 Memorial Tower Climb at COTA

Tierra Neubaum is out at the Circuit of the Americas to get information on a 9/11 event being held there.

Not everyone climbing this year was alive that September morning, but all of them carry a reason.

"There's firefighters today with the Austin Fire Department and many fire departments across the country that weren't even alive during 9-11 and to tell the history of what occurred so that they could honor and memorialize the people that died before them," Lt. Cohen said.

Each name, 343 of them, is worn on a tag. Each step is taken in their honor.

"We pass them around, so every firefighter on the climb brings a firefighter with them," Lt. Cohen said.

Austin Fire Department 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb

All around town there are events and memorials to remember September 11th. FOX 7 Austin's Libbi Farrow has details from one.

Though the climb may end, its purpose doesn’t.

"I think it's also a reminder that we need to stop and thank those who rush in to the emergencies while the rest of us are trying to rush away," Central Texas Public Safety Commission Jennifer Stevens said.

"I think it's our role to teach the younger generation what it means about sacrifice and what it mean about serving your country," Army Futures Command Chief of Staff General John Cushing said.

This is the longest-running memorial stair climb in the country.