The City of Black Hawk Fire Department partnered with the Ameristar Casino Resort and Spa to host the 14th Annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb. Ameristar is at 111 Richman Street in Black Hawk.

The event is a way for first responders and the general public to remember September 11, 2001, honor the memory of those who were lost and support a worthwhile cause.

The proceeds from the event will support the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF), which creates and maintains programs that support fire service survivors. NFFF provides much needed assistance to the surviving families and co-workers of the firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice on September 11, 2001.

Thanks to the generosity of the Ameristar Casino Resort Spa and the City of Black Hawk, 100 percent of registration fees support the NFFF. Participants received an event t-shirt and lunch. Check-in was outside on the east side of the Ameristar building at 9 a.m.

After registering, participants visited, got together with their team members and chose badges to carry up the stairs in memory of one or more who had fallen. Rich and Michelle Towndrow were there, and he was dressed in his fire fighter’s outfit in which he intended to climb. He is with the Brighton Fire Department and has done this for more than 10 years.

Memorial Stair Climb Top; Climbers were called by teams to begin the climb. The last team called was the Black Hawk Team. Below; A table was spread with badges for those who had fallen, and participants were encouraged to carry a badge. Many participants carried several badges and the table was empty as the climb began. Right; Rich and Michelle Towndrow were there, and he was dressed in his fire fighter’s outfit in which he intended to climb. He is with the Brighton Fire Department and had done this for more than 10 years.[/caption]

At about 9:30 a.m., despite technological difficulties with the microphone, fire department officials conducted a ceremony outside Ameristar memorializing 9/11.

After a welcoming from the Ameristar general manager, Fire Department Lt. Jason Christiansen asked if you remember 21 years ago? Where were you, and what were you doing?

It was a horrible tragedy. It took the lives of many brave Americans. Of the 2,983 men, women, and children killed in the 2001 attacks at the World Trade Center site, 345 of those were fire fighters or law enforcement.

As the weeks passed, Americans were

Let’s reunite now and remember to love the ones close to you. He asked his fellow first responders to be brave. He also asked to say a prayer for the Arvada law enforcement officer who was killed in the line of duty that morning.

Clinton Griffin with the fire department displayed an alarm that will go off when a fire fighter is down. He said 345 of the alarms were going off that day for hours.

He also displayed a bell that is rung when a call begins and again when it’s done. When a fire fighter dies in the line of duty, the bell is rung three times.

Capt. Mark Schaller asked for a moment of silence for the victims. He thanked the sponsors and started calling teams to begin the climb.

One of the largest teams, the Black Hawk Team, was the last to be called. Then they called for individuals to begin the climb.

The climbers climbed four laps of the stairs, and they had water stations for the climbers.

Some fast climbers did it in an hour but for some it took more than two hours.

Rebecca Blondo with the fire department said the first two laps go pretty quick, but then people start having trouble. After they were done with the climb, participants went to Ameristar’s ninth floor for lunch.

The Black Hawk Fire Department invited climbers to join them in the 9th floor banquet room following the climb for a post-climb reception, with lunch provided by the Ameristar Casino Resort Spa.

The event was not a race, rather a gathering to honor the fallen, help those who were affected on that day and let the world know – we will never forget.

The Black Hawk Fire Department was proud to host the 14th annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb. This event is in remembrance of all the brave people who tragically lost their lives in the attack on the World Trade Center in 2001.

This event is held at the Ameristar Hotel and allows participants to climb the 34-story hotel building stairwell in honor of those lost on that day. With your help, it is always to remember the anniversary of 9/11.