We will never forget

110 floors. That is how many floors firefighters on September 11, 2001 were staring up at when they ran into the World Trade Center towers as everyone else was running out in an attempt to save thousands of lives. It takes a very unique set of virtues and values to do so, but that is the life of a first responder.

“Because of the magnitude of the damage to the Twin Towers, firefighters were required to climb the stairs to make it to each floor that people were on and needed to get out,” Assistant Fire Chief Christopher Robbins said. “We climbed to remember the pain, blood, sweat and tears that they went through.”

Last weekend, six Wimberley firefighters climbed 110 floors each in honor of those lost on September 11.

“It is a reminder of why we are here, what we do and the organization we strive to be,” Robbins said. “We are a small organization with a limited number of staff, but their brotherhood and camaraderie is something that we want to continue on forever. We are here for the citizens as those firefighters were that day. It is a great responsibility. We want to show that they may be gone, but they are never forgotten.”

Along with Robbins, firefighters Kendall Kidd, Mitchell Strunk, Hayden Allen, Jacob Ochoa and Andru McDermid went to Heroes Stadium in San Antonio last weekend. In full firefighter gear, they climbed the stadium steps an equivalent amount of times to match the 110 flights of stairs of each of the Twin Towers.

“About half of those guys were babies when it happened, and two of those guys weren’t even born yet,” Robbins said. “We are proud to see them carry on that tradition and to represent Wimberley in that way. We are proud to see them continue to pursue and live by the values and virtues that those firefighters set on that day.”