Starkville Fire Department climb 110 flights in honor of 9/11

On September 11, 2001, 343 firemen gave the ultimate sacrifice. Starkville FD honored those lives.

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – The Starkville Fire Department climbed Davis Wade Stadium to honor the firemen who climbed 110 floors to save others.

“Don’t ever forget,” Sergeant Michael Edwards said.

Just 20 years ago, on September 11, 2001, 343 firemen gave the ultimate sacrifice.

In honor of them, Firefighters like Anna Beth Robertson walked up 110 flights of stairs to pay respects to those fallen heroes.

“I think it is a really good way for us to remember the 343 that passed when they were at 9/11. Just gives us a little taste of what it might have felt like,” Robertson said.

Members of the Starkville Fire Department climbed up and down 11 stories of Davis Wade only resting to reflect.

It’s a path Sergeant Michael Edwards and Captain Brian Arnett have made before.

They said it doesn’t get easier emotionally or physically.

“Every year, as I do this, I like to reflect on the sacrifices that the men and women made on that day, selflessly for people they didn’t even know,” Edwards said.

“It’s an honor to be able to do something like this as a way showing respect to people that layed the ultimate sacrifice for us,” Arnett said.

The Starkville Fire Department has put up red posters on each of the levels, which include all of the names of those firemen who died while serving during 9/11. The firemen said it’s motivation to keep going.

“I think it’s inspirational a little bit. You know, when I’m tired, which at some point in that everyone’s tired, you just find that one person. There’s
kids that were working their first day there and there’s 70-year-old people that spent a life of service to the Fire Department that died that day,” Arnett said.

“On one of the pieces of paper, there is a firefighter that was 23 years old. That’s how old I am. So as I’m going up and down, it’s like, ok that could easily be me,” Robertson said.

Chief Charles Yarborough said while this stair climb doesn’t compare to what men and women went through on that day, it’s a reflection of why they do their job.

“Those guys are heroes. They ran in knowing that they probably weren’t going to make it out but they still did their job. So every time when we walk the steps, it’s a reminder that every day that we need to be prepared to take care of our citizens just like they did,” Chief Yarbrough said.

The Starkville Fire Department will be honored at the football game at MSU in Davis Wade Stadium.