Memorial Stair Climb -- LNN

By Dori Modney and Photo-journalist Brandyn Montgomery

Join firefighters for Lethbridge’s Memorial 9-11 stair climb this Sunday, Sept 29

Sep 25, 2019 | 8:28 PM

LETHBRIDGE — ‘WANTED’ – A few good men…women…and even children.

This is your chance to rub shoulders with the city’s firefighters and emergency services responders, as they retrace the ascent and decent of the 110-stories of the World Trade Centre.

For a donation of $40, you can complete 10-laps of the downtown Melcor tower (aka the Lethbridge Centre business tower), which is the equivalent of 110-stories.

You need to register by Thursday (Sept, 26). To register for the event or make a pledge to a participant, visit: https://raceroster.com/events/2019/24561/lethbridge-9-11-memorial-stairclimb .

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All money raised from this event goes to the Legacy Place Society, a national charity focused on supporting Alberta first responders and military as well as their families in crisis of which several Lethbridge responders have used services. For more information visit: http://legacyplacesociety.com/.

Firefighter Mark Matheson, says it’s encouraged that firefighters wear equipment.

“Because that’s kinda the name of the game and we try to do that and honour and remember the guys that went before us.

“The weight of the equipment depends on what’s in your pocket and how many tools you carry with you but, it could be upwards of 60 to 70 pounds of extra gear.”

“Of course, anyone is welcome to join us, it makes it a lot more challenging but, if you don’t have equipment, it’s still a good challenge and it’s a lot of fun and it’s even turned into a family event, as we have all ages, young and old joining us.”

Shawn Folk has been a captain with the Lethbridge fire department for 25-years and spoke eloquently of the event.

“I have participated in it before and it is very challenging.”

“At first it seems very difficult and you have to do it ten times, and what we usually do is we try to commemorate exactly what we’re supposed to and that’s remember the fallen firefighters that perished in that tower on that day in 9-11. One of the biggest things we do have to remember is that those guys put their lives on the line as collateral to save people who they had no idea who they were but, they rushed in. We’ve had guys who did a shift change in New York that turned around, double backed and jumped on the rigs to save people’s lives. The biggest thing they did was save lives and we can’ forget that.”

You start doing the tower and you think – man this is hard – but, then you think, these guys did it — 343 of them did it, 70 police officers did it, copious amounts of paramedics did it … and they did it without hesitation.”

“People calls us not because it’s the best days of their life, but because it’s the worst day of their life.”

Folk’s final message? “Hey, last-minute-Lethbridge….come on out…see what it’s like. For $40, I’m sure you spend that easily during the first hour you’re at the mall or any other place….come out, it’s a great cause — see what it’s like, see what these folks go through. This is an important event and we can never forget.