Scott firefighters honor fallen 9/11 comrades

by Senior Airman Tristin English
375 Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

9/9/2014 - SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill -- Sept. 11, 2001 started off just like any other day. People walked their dogs, played with their kids or headed to work. However, terror and panic began to spread as two planes hit the World Trade Center towers in New York City, another at the Pentagon and yet another that crashed into the fields of Pennsylvania.

As the crisis unfolded around them, firefighters and first responders risked their lives to run inside buildings that were collapsing . . . some to never make it back out. Although some people are too young to remember, others remember it like it was yesterday. But one thing is certain, this nation will never forget.

That's why on a Sept. 6 Sunday morning in Clayton, Missouri, first responders, firefighters and local community members gathered to honor fallen comrades who gave their lives in the 9/11 attacks during their annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb. The climb event benefits "The Fallen Firefighters Foundation" which helps support not only families of 9/11 survivors, but also any fallen firefighter around the country to help with funeral costs, supporting their family, and with anything else they need.

"Our participation in the stair climb started almost a year ago when a few of us were looking for different events to honor firefighters and this seemed to be the closest and biggest one that we could do," said Staff Sgt. Anthony Chiappone, 375th Civil Engineering Squadron firefighter. "We asked for volunteers and our team of 10 began training mid-June. We climbed the Scott Air Force Base control tower eight times (which equals 110 stories), which we did every weekend. As a team we spent a lot of hours training to get ready for it."

Firefighters were encouraged to wear their proper protection equipment, self-contained breathing apparatus, and carry an appropriate hand tool or hose during the climb. Each member picked someone to climb "in honor of" and then at the end of the stair climb they rang a bell while they called out the name the fallen firefighter.

Team member Staff Sgt. Randall Forsythe, also a 375th CES firefighter, said, "I was very excited to be a part of this event and raise money for an organization that supports fallen firefighters and their families. The event was a struggle physically, but we made it through the climb as a team."