I get asked often about the 9/11 events and climbs throughout the year, but especially September when the schedule is packed. Why? Why is the question.

I guess the answer is, why not? The slogan “never forget” is something that I hold true to and I think anyone in the fire service should strive to find ways to remember. You see, we are already at that time when firefighters are coming into the calling that don’t understand “why” and “what” happened that day and since then. They didn’t see the changes since that point and where we were before then. Its up to us as veteran and senior men and women to educate and teach a little bit of history and implore others to pick up the irons and march forward.

Participating in any one of the many 9/11 climbs and runs either from the Tunnel to Towers foundation or the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation is simple. In the case of the NFFF you are literally making a difference in the lives of our own brother firefighters. Sadly given the LODD statistics around the United States, you may be benefitting your own family in the future should they tragically need their services. Funds from the Tunnel to Towers group are benefitting our most catastrophically injured veterans who have served our country and coming home. The organization started by families of those lost on September 11.

How can you not help out, participate, or donate to keep the memories of those alive lost to the worst attack on U.S. soil since Pearl? You don’t have to be the fastest, the fittest, the best looking, the salty firefighter, or the strongest, its about taking a little bit of time. After all, its only time. If it’s a 9/11-memorial climb for the NFFF you literally are not being timed (although I do try to be very picky about my pace) there is no first place for these. NFFF is a memorial climb with plenty of thought, time to reflect, moving moments, and time to build brotherhood. In the case of T2T runs and climbs, yes these are timed, but the important part is getting out there and being a part of something bigger than yourself and letting people see WE WILL NOT FORGET THEM.

Being a part of these events, remember this. There are no planes crashing above you, no fire above, no victims screaming for your help, there are not buildings collapsing, and there is not the potential in the back of your mind that this is your last job. For us participating this is only time, we will go home in a 30 minutes, an hour, maybe a couple hours, we will go home to our loved ones. The pain of climbing, the heat from running will go away. Take the time, remember our fallen, teach our younger generations and carry on their names so that they are never forgotten.

We are only given so much time on this Earth. On your headstone there will be two dates, a beginning and the end with a hyphen in the middle. Make the most of that hyphen.