TEXARKANA, Texas -- Seven firefighters gathered Friday morning for a practice run in preparation for the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb to memorialize the first responders who died in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York City.

Registration coordinator Marty Lawrence said the registration quota for the Sept. 10 event filled in under a minute.

"We have 343 firemen spots, 70 police officers and nine EMS that are coming in from all over the country," said Lawrence, who participated in the event in 2019 before his retirement from Texarkana Texas Fire Department in 2020.

Participants, who don a badge with a photo of a New York firefighter who died on 9/11, climb 110 flights of stairs to simulate the firefighters' ascent in the World Trade Center towers that fell in the attack.

"In 2019, I had Capt. Daniel Brethel of Ladder 24," Lawrence said, holding the badge in his hands. "He had been a firefighter for 22 years, and he had two kids. The organizers give us these badges so we can research who we have and help people remember them."

According to the New York Times, Brethel pulled up to the World Trade Center after both airplanes hit the megastructures in the coordinated terrorist attack in 2001. He warned his fellow firefighters, "Guys, be very careful, because firemen are going to die today."

Brethel, 43, tried to pull one of his colleagues to safety as one of the towers started to collapse. The two dove under a fire truck but could not avoid the debris.

Dustin Newman, a nine-year member of TTFD, is participating in the climb for the second time to honor firefighters who died on 9/11. For 2021's stair climb, he stepped in honor of Edward Day.

"He was awesome," Newman said. "He was known for being very outgoing and happy. If someone was grumpy, he would put a smiley face sticker on them."

According to the 9/11 Living Memorial, Edward James Day was attached to Engine Company 28 and Ladder 11. He had a mischievous sense of humor. When leaving his mother's house, he would make the bed and leave a dollar on the sheets with a note: "For the maid."He signed all of his cards to his wife, Bridgitte, as Clint Eastwood, her favorite actor.

Day was 45 when he died.

Newman's two boys, ages 14 and 10, are accompanying him this year to cheer him on.

"They were bummed they missed out last year," Newman said. "They're not sure what to expect, but they just want to be there to experience it with me."

Each participating firefighter will wear a full uniform and carry 35-40 pounds of equipment in the stair climb, which will be from 8 a.m. to noon at Dallas' iconic Fountain Place.

According to Dallas 9/11 Memorial Stairclimb, the first stair climb occurred in Parwan Province, Afghanistan, on Sept. 11, 2003. Albuquerque Fire Department Lt. Charles Cogburn scaled a two-story building 55 times while wearing body armor, a helmet and an M4 assault rifle. Dallas held its first climb on March 25, 2011.

To learn more about the Dallas 9/11 Memorial Stairclimb, visit www.dallasstairclimb.com/home

Print Headline: Stepping into their shoes: Texas side firefighters prepare for Dallas 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb

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