A little rain couldn't stop Wallace 9/11 Stair Climb

WALLACE –– A little bit of wet weather wasn’t enough to stop the people of the Silver Valley from honoring and remembering the victims of the September 11, Terrorist Attacks during the annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb. 

Almost 50 first responders, several local law enforcement officers, and dozens of residents climbed the 12 laps of eight flights of stairs to simulate what it was like for the first responders who responded to the terror attacks at the World Trade Center, 23 years ago.  

Many of the climbers completed the event wearing full firefighter gear, carrying firefighting tools or implements, or in their respective department's uniforms.

The event is organized each year by the firefighters of Shoshone County Fire District #1, District Chief John Miller was thrilled with the turnout, calling the event “amazing,” and pleased that the wet weather didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits.  

Recently, the stair climb has been utilized as a fundraiser for the Jeff Welch Memorial Foundation and Miller was happy to partner with them once again in 2024.  

“We had a lot of support for the Jeff Welch Memorial Foundation,” Miller said. “We had quite a few firefighters from outside the area, with six different departments represented and we were able to raise more than $3,000 for the foundation.”  

Among the law enforcement officers who participated was Shoshone County Sheriff’s Department Captain Seth Green, who was honored to complete the climb and hopes that people can remember the unity that followed after such a terrible event. 

“These events are important to honor those who have fallen in the line of duty,” Green said. “Events such as these also remind us as a community how we banded together during that time as a response to tragedy. Our unity is our biggest advantage in our communities, and it is important to remember that we share more in common than to focus on the things that tear us apart.”