A little rain couldn't stop Wallace 9/11 Stair Climb

WALLACE — Wet weather wasn’t enough to stop Silver Valley residents from honoring the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks during the annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb. 

Almost 50 first responders, several local law enforcement officers and dozens of residents climbed the 12 laps of eight flights of stairs to simulate what it was like for those who responded to the World Trade Center 23 years ago.  

Many of the climbers completed the event wearing full firefighter gear, carrying firefighting tools or in their respective department's uniforms.

The event is organized each year by the Shoshone County Fire District No. 1. District Chief John Miller was thrilled with the turnout, calling the event “amazing."

Recently, the stair climb has been utilized as a fundraiser for the Jeff Welch Memorial Foundation and Miller was happy to partner with them again in 2024.  

“We had quite a few firefighters from outside the area, with six different departments represented and we were able to raise more than $3,000 for the foundation," he said.

Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Seth Green, who completed the climb, hopes people remember the unity that followed the attacks.

“Events such as these also remind us as a community how we banded together during that time as a response to tragedy," he said. "Our unity is our biggest advantage in our communities, and it is important to remember that we share more in common than to focus on the things that tear us apart.”