When firefighters die in the line of duty, the entire fire service grieves. We look for ways to make sure their lives and their sacrifices are honored. We also want to ensure that the families, departments, and friends of the fallen find comfort and resources they need to rebuild their lives.
On October 1st, join hundreds of other firefighters in New York to honor the fallen.
“Every day, here in New York City and across the country, firefighters go into harm’s way, through every obstacle and climbing every step needed to accomplish their life-saving mission,” said Fire Department of New York (FDNY) Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro. “The FDNY is proud to take part in this fitting tribute to every firefighter who has made the supreme sacrifice and to lend our support to the families they left behind.”
Firefighters will climb the equivalent of 110 stories to symbolize the number of floors in the Twin Towers. Fifteen years after the September 11th attacks, we will honor the 343 firefighters from FDNY, the 37 Port Authority Police officers, and the 23 NYPD officers who died that day.
“The National Stair Climb for Fallen Firefighters is a journey of hope, raising funds to help programs for surviving relatives of firefighters across the country,” said Chief Ronald J. Siarnicki, Executive Director of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF). “Approximately 80 firefighters die in the line of duty each year in the U.S. and this is a way to let the families know they and their firefighters are not forgotten.”
The stair climb is a family event and we encourage you to bring your spouses and children to climb with you. Your donation benefits the FDNY Counseling Services Unit and the NFFF.
Mike Coffey, a Tarrytown (NY) firefighter participated in the 2015 climb in memory of Firefighter John Kelly, who died during a technical rescue incident on September 6, 2010. “The NFFF does great deeds all the time, so raising money for it as well as FDNY counseling services seemed like the right thing to do,” he said.
All climbers will receive a t-shirt and a name badge for the firefighter they are honoring. Other special recognitions and an after party are planned for the participants. Early registration is $35 and is available until August 31st. For more information and to register, go to www.nationalstairclimb.org.