Kalamazoo 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb [Video]

On Sept. 11, firefighters, students and volunteers gathered at Wings Event Center for the annual Kalamazoo 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb.

Each participant ascended 1,650 steps — the equivalent of the 110 stories of the World Trade Center — while wearing a name tag of one of the fallen firefighters.

Climbers called out the names of the fallen firefighters and rang the bell on the second lap around the hockey rink in memory of the fallen.

The bell's location — where people rang it on their second lap — signified the 78th floor of the World Trade Center (no firefighter got above this level on Sept. 11, 2001).

More than 200 greater Kalamazoo area firefighters, volunteers and community members raised almost $7,000 for the Fallen Firefighters Foundation with money going to the families of those who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.

Thank you.

Never forget.