Tulsa first responders climb 110 flights of stairs to honor fallen heroes on 25th anniversary of 9/11

TULSA, Okla. — Hundreds of first responders gathered in downtown Tulsa on Friday to honor those lost on 9/11, climbing 110 flights of stairs at First Place Tower to mark the 25th anniversary of the attacks.

Firefighters and police officers from the Tulsa Fire Department, Sand Springs, Broken Arrow, and multiple police departments participated in the memorial stair climb while carrying their full equipment and gear.

Participants climbed 36 flights of stairs three times, then walked up an additional five flights — totaling 110 flights, the same number first responders climbed while saving lives during the 9/11 attacks. Those 110 flights add up to approximately 2,071 individual steps.

At the 36th floor, firefighters and police officers took a break to refuel with Gatorade and water before taking the elevator down to start again.

Chaplain Joel Jones, who has been with the Tulsa Fire Department for more than 20 years, said this year's memorial felt different because it marked the 25th anniversary. Participants weren't just battling physical exhaustion, they were also fighting emotions.

"Climbing 110 floors with just your gear in clean air is a far smaller sacrifice than what it would take in bad conditions. While you're climbing and your whole body is telling you to stop, you can imagine the courage and sacrifice it took to do this when you can't breathe," Jones said.

Twenty-five years later, first responders continue to honor their fallen brothers and sisters who made the ultimate sacrifice.

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This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.