Logan City Fire Battalion Chief John Cox speaking about the symbolism of the 9/11 Stair Climb Memorial, Sept. 11, 2024.
LOGAN — Members of the community joined local firefighters Wednesday night in remembering the emergency responders and others who lost their lives September 11, 2001. The group of more than 200 ran up and down the stairs inside the football stadium at Utah State University.
Logan City Fire Battalion Chief John Cox said there is some symbolism with USU’s football stadium that is a reminder of 9/11. There are approximately 2071 stairs above Merlin Olsen Field, which was the same number inside the Twin Towers.
“In addition to the stairs, it is estimated that emergency responders saved around 25,000 people on 9/11,” explained Cox. “This stadium holds just over that. That symbolism is really neat. So, think about this stadium being completely filled and that is how many they were able to save.”
Local firefighters have been climbing the stairs in the stadium and Spectrum for decades. However, after the terrorist’s attacks 23 years ago, the training exercise became more reverential.
There was a total of 403 first responders killed on 9/11, 343 firefighters and 60 police officers. Each participant in Wednesday night’s memorial was given a small card, with the name and photo of one of the first responders who died.
Photo of NYC firefighter killed during 9/11.
“We wanted it to mean something and realize that these were actual people,” said Cox “So that was some more of the symbolism we tried to get these people to experience.”
The participants were sent out in groups, or companies. They started in the far northeast corner of the stadium, climbing up and down each flight of stairs. At the end, they rang a bell, similar to the bells that are rung when a firefighter dies.
While most of the community members were dressed in running clothes. The firefighters were wearing their turnout gear. Some were even carrying hoses, oxygen tanks and other heavy gear.
“We sent out our firefighters first in full gear,” explained Cox. “They are going to be slow so the other runners will have to pass them going up the stairs and see all the gear they have to carry. Each firefighter puts between 60 and 100 extra pounds on when they put their gear on and carry their equipment. They are going to go a little slower but they are steady and just keep going.”
Flag ceremony by the USU ROTC during the 9/11 Stair Climb Memorial at Utah State, Sept. 11, 2024.
This year, the Logan City Fire Department teamed up with the USU Hurd to help promote the memorial. The goal was to encourage students, most of whom were not alive on 9/11, to participate. The program also included the Scotsman Drum & Pipes Corp, a flag ceremony by the USU ROTC, and students performing the Stars Spangled Banner and Taps.