Welsh firefighters climb 110 floors in 9/11 tribute

Nine firefighters from Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service have completed a 110-floor memorial stair climb in Atlanta, USA, to mark the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The team took part in the annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb, which sees firefighters and emergency service personnel climb the equivalent of the 110 floors of the World Trade Centre towers.

The event pays tribute to the 343 firefighters who died while responding to the attacks in 2001.

Representing Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service were Station Managers Carl Williams and Oliver Tziros, Crew Managers Antony Pugh and Steven Ratcliff, and firefighters Rebecca Barden, Rhys Fitzgerald, Lisa Reynolds, Cristian James and Trystan Griffiths.

The team had trained for several months before travelling to the United States and climbed alongside emergency service personnel from across the world.

Several members carried the names and photographs of individual firefighters who died in the attacks.

Firefighter Rebecca Barden said climbing in memory of Firefighter Michael J. Clarke made the challenge “much more emotional”.

Crew Manager Antony Pugh said he had watched the events unfold as a 13-year-old and described it as an honour to climb in remembrance of those who “never made it home”.

Firefighter Rhys Fitzgerald, who climbed in memory of Captain Daniel J. Brethel, said the challenge was physically demanding but “nothing compared to their sacrifice”.

The event also raised money for three charities supporting emergency service personnel and their families: The Fire Fighters Charity, Blue Light Card Foundation and the Terry Farrell Firefighters Fund.

Station Manager Oliver Tziros said standing alongside firefighters and first responders from around the world to remember the 343 fallen firefighters was “something I'll never forget”.

The 25th anniversary of the attacks is being marked in the United States and around the world today (Friday).