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Apopka firefighters in New York City for 4th Annual Memorial Stair Climb event

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On the morning of September 11th, 2001, two passenger airliners crashed into the North and South towers of the World Trade Center. Within an hour and 42 minutes, both 110-story towers collapsed. First responders from the New York Police Department, the Fire Department of New York, and the Port Authority Police Department ran into the collapsed buildings to save the survivors of the attack. 343 firefighters and 72 law enforcement officers lost their lives in the rescue attempt and 9/11 went down as the single deadliest incident for firefighters and law enforcement officers in the history of the United States.

And this weekend, first responders from across the nation and internationally will honor their sacrifice, including a team from the Apopka Fire Department.

On Sunday, The Fourth Annual New York City Memorial Stair Climb will see over 400 first responders ascend the 80 floors of 3 World Trade Center. Each climber will be honoring one of the 23 NYPD, 37 PAPD and 343 FDNY killed on September 11th, 2001. The climb also memorializes fallen first responders and military personnel worldwide.

The New York City Memorial Stair Climb designates a beneficiary every year and mounts a fundraising campaign for that organization. The 2018 climb is proud to support The Ray Pfeifer Foundation.

The climb also taps into firefighters’ competitive spirit. Climbers have the option to enter as a racer and be timed against other climbers as an individual or part of a team. Each firefighter will be wearing their full protective firefighting gear as they climb.

Apopka Fire Chief Chuck Carnesale and a team of 12 Apopka firefighters traveled to New York City this weekend for the event.

"This is a great way for the Apopka firefighters to pay tribute to, memorialize and never forget the emergency workers who tried to get to thousands of citizens trapped on 9/11. Each firefighter climbs with the picture ID of lost NY city firefighter from 9/11."

He also points out that the team pays its own way for the opportunity to pay tribute to their fallen comrades of first response.

"Our firefighters travel each year to New York for this event on their own time and dime, no taxpayer money is used. May we always remember the events of that day. Apopka firefighters are very passionate about this event. By climbing, these firefighters are completing a mission that all the FDNY firefighters that were lost on 9/11 tried to do."

The event will be live streamed Sunday morning beginning at 9 am at http://www.nycstairclimb.com/.

2001, 4th Annual Memorial Stair Climb, Apopka Fire Department, September 11th

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