09/11/2026
Twenty-five years later, the weight of September 11 still feels impossible to put into words.
This morning, firefighters from the Duluth Fire Department, Lake Superior College, Rice Lake, Normanna, Hermantown, Cloquet Area Fire District, Grand Lake, Moose Lake, Superior, Virginia Fire, the 148th Fighter Wing, along with staff and retirees, gathered at AMSOIL Arena for our annual 9/11 Stair Climb.
Wearing their gear, they climbed the equivalent of the World Trade Center’s 110 stories in honor of the FDNY firefighters who never made it home that day.
At 8:46 a.m., before the first flight of stairs, the arena fell silent as we marked the moment the North Tower was struck. For a few quiet seconds, there were no departments, no patches, no titles — only first responders standing together in remembrance.
September 11 is a day of reflection for the entire country, but for those in public safety, it carries a deeply personal meaning. We remember the firefighters, police officers, paramedics, dispatchers, military members, and civilians who showed extraordinary courage in the face of unimaginable tragedy. We remember those who ran toward danger when others were trying to escape. And we remember the families and communities whose lives were forever changed.
Twenty-five years have passed, but their sacrifice has not faded with time.
We climb because they climbed.
We remember because they mattered.
Never forget.
Duluth Firefighters Local 101
Cloquet Area Fire District
Virginia Fire Department
Superior Fire Department
148th Fighter Wing
Grand Lake Volunteer Fire Department, Minnesota
Hermantown Fire Department
