Tulsa Fire Dept. honors 9/11 victims in grueling memorial

About 100 Tulsa firefighters honored fallen 9/11 emergency responders last Monday by climbing 110 stories of First Place Tower in downtown Tulsa.
Sixteen years ago, 412 emergency responders, including firefighters, police officers and paramedics, lost their lives while climbing the 110 stories of the smoldering Twin Towers, all in an effort to save the lives of others.
The Tulsa firefighters wore their full bunker gear – pants, jackets, helmet – and wore additional air tanks, just as the actual 9/11 firefighters had done to avoid breathing in the smoke. In total, the gear weighed in at 70 pounds.
The firefighters dripped with sweat as they climbed the stairs, hauling their gear and feeling the connection to those firefighters who lost their lives 16 years ago.
“They’re your brothers, they’re your sisters,” says Tulsa firefighter Shelby Thompson. “Anywhere in the state, anywhere in the world. You’re connected with these people.”
First Place Tower is only 41 stories tall, so firefighters divided the climb into 2 1⁄2 laps, taking an elevator back down between each lap.
Speaking about the emergency responders of 9/11, Tulsa Fire Cadet Tyler DeShazo said the event was to “carry on their legacy.”
DeShazo was in third grade when the attacks occurred.
“I remember they turned the TV on while we were in class and we watched the second plane hit.” He continued, “I think it’s really cool that we get to honor them.”
Out of the 412 emergency responders who died during 9/11, 343 of them were firefighters.