The Senior Companion Program and the Dallas 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb
by Melissa Gomez
The Dallas 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb began on March 25th, 2011, when Plano Firefighter John Barrett participated in the first 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb hosted by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) at the Fire Departments Instructor Conference in Indianapolis, IN. The inaugural event in Dallas, held later that year, recognized not only the 343 fallen firefighters of September 11th, but also the six Texas firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2011. Over 360 firefighters from four states and eighty-nine fire departments participated, raising nearly $160,000 to support the families of fallen firefighters.
In the years since, the event has grown in both scope and significance. The Prosper Fire Department provided a piece of World Trade Center steel in 2012, which each climber touched before beginning their ascent of 110 flights. The planning committee was restructured in 2012 to better manage the event, and by 2013, law enforcement officers who lost their lives at Ground Zero were honored. In 2014, EMS personnel who perished on September 11th were also remembered, and the “Brotherhood Bash” was introduced as a post-event gathering. In 2015, the event expanded to include a second wave of climbers representing first responders who have passed since 9/11/2001.
Each year, the Dallas 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb seeks new ways to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice. It is a privilege for our program to support this effort and to contribute to an event that serves as a powerful reminder to “Step Up To Honor The Fallen.”
We encourage everyone to honor this 9/11 Day through service, whether by participating in events like the Dallas 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb or by finding other ways to give back to our community. Together, we can ensure that the legacy of those we lost on September 11th continues to inspire a lifetime of service.
