South-central Kentucky firefighters complete the Nashville Memorial Stair Climb

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Hundreds of firefighters from across many counties gathered in Nashville at the Tennessee Tower for the 17th annual 9/11 memorial stair climb.

“I climb for him. It means that he will never be forgotten. The sacrifice he made that day is not going to go unnoticed,” said Chris McCoy, Captain for Smiths Grove Fire Department. Participants climbed 28 flights going up four times to equate 110 like that of the twin towers. 

“Each firefighter will carry a badge of one of those 343 so basically each firefighter is remembering a firefighter that day,” said Josh Smith, founder of the Nashville 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb.

A ceremony was held at the beginning of the climb to honor those who lost their lives and to hear what it was like that day over the radio waves. Smith said that each year 100% of the funds go to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

“The interest that they show, it’s just going on forever. The mission is to never forget and to raise money for people who are still being impacted from 9/11, and this shows you that it’s still very real,” Smith said. 

Since the climb has started, it has raised more than $15 million that go toward victims and families that have been impacted by 9/11.

“This has made a lot of difference. We’ve raised a lot of money for the foundation and for the FDNY Wise Counseling Unit,” he said.

Many fire departments from Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama and more joined Sunday to become one department, all climbing for one cause to finish the climb for the person on the tag they are wearing. 

Firemen in attendance also honored those who were not in uniform and other law enforcement agencies. 

“Not just fire that made several trips up and down the towers that day and ended up not coming out,” said Sam Anderson, captain with the Fort Campbell Fire Department. 

Each badge they wore was a reminder of a life that went back to save others.

“This is John Kevin McAvoy. He was one of the ones killed on that day in 9/11,” Chris McCoy, captain of the Smiths Grove Fire Department said, showing his tag. The funds behind the event are used to help families like Kevin McAvoys and his colleagues who still suffer. 

Each firefighter wore their equipment and protection gear that could possibly weigh 150 pounds while going up the flights. Along the way, they were passing pictures on the walls of those who once climbed too but never made it out of the twin towers.

Anderson said if he could even say one word to the person on the tag he wore he would say, “I’d say he did it right,” he said.

If you would like to donate, you can head over to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation’s website and click donate.