NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Firefighters and anyone who wished to climbed 110 flights of stairs today at Workout Anytime in Hendersonville in remembrance of 9/11.
The gym opened their doors to the public and local first responders to complete the annual climb that's become tradition every September.
Firefighters from Hendersonville Fire Department streamed in periodically from their shifts to march the full height wearing their gear. The suits weigh about 40-50 pounds. However, the gear firefighters wore into the World Trade Center `19 years ago was much heavier.
"They were going in there to extract those people and they really thought they can get them out and started climbing stairs. Think about all of the gear they had with them. They had extra bottles, extra hoses, tools. You name it, they were just climbing stairs with that stuff," said HFD Captain Eric Fontenot.
First responders feel honored to go the same distance firefighters did to try to save people in the towers. Most of the firefighters did not survive the towers' collapse.
"I'm sure their adrenaline was going. But, I couldn't imagine walking up that staircase and then getting an evacuation order and you're 90 flights up. That's a pretty bad feeling probably. I couldn't imagine," said Fontenot.
Fontenot, a 14-year veteran, said he was glad there's a business opening their doors to the activity during the pandemic.
"I'm glad we've got people like this supporting the fire department and letting us come down here and get their machines all sweaty. So, it's a good thing. We love our community here in Hendersonville. It's awesome," he said.
An annual firefighter stair climb in Nashville scheduled for this weekend was canceled.
