- March 13, 2025
Ormond Beach firefighters take part in a memorial stair climb in honor of 9/11. Photo courtesy of the city of Ormond Beach/Pauline Dulang
Ormond Beach firefighter Luke Hoynoski gears up to take part in the 9/11 stair climb on Wednesday, Sept. 11. Photo courtesy of the city of Ormond Beach/Pauline Dulang
Ormond Beach firefighters Luke Hoynoski, Zander Harper and Garrett Fiske. Photo courtesy of the city of Ormond Beach/Pauline Dulang
Ormond Beach firefighters take part in a memorial stair climb in honor of 9/11. Photo courtesy of the city of Ormond Beach/Pauline Dulang
Ormond Beach firefighters Garret Fiske and Zander Harper listen as Capt. Hunter Ramirez speaks. Photo courtesy of the city of Ormond Beach/Pauline Dulang
Ormond Beach firefighter Garret Fiske catches his breath during the 9/11 memorial stair climb. Photo courtesy of the city of Ormond Beach/Pauline Dulang
Ormond Beach firefighter Patrick Soard takes part in a memorial stair climb on Wednesday, Sept. 11. Photo courtesy of the city of Ormond Beach/Pauline Dulang
An Ormond Beach firefighter catches his breath during the memorial stair climb in honor of 9/11. Photo courtesy of the city of Ormond Beach/Pauline Dulang
Ormond Beach firefighter R.L. Durham takes a breather during the memorial stair climb in honor of 9/11. Photo courtesy of the city of Ormond Beach/Pauline Dulang
Ormond Beach R.L. Durham takes a break during the memorial stair climb in honor of 9/11. Photo courtesy of the city of Ormond Beach/Pauline Dulang
Firefighters completed the stair climb while wearing their gear. Photo courtesy of the city of Ormond Beach/Pauline Dulang
Ormond Beach firefighters take part in a memorial stair climb in honor of 9/11. Photo courtesy of the city of Ormond Beach/Pauline Dulang
Ormond Beach firefighters take part in a memorial stair climb in honor of 9/11. Photo courtesy of the city of Ormond Beach/Pauline Dulang
Ormond Beach firefighters take part in a memorial stair climb in honor of 9/11. Photo courtesy of the city of Ormond Beach/Pauline Dulang
Ormond Beach firefighters take part in a memorial stair climb in honor of 9/11. Photo courtesy of the city of Ormond Beach/Pauline Dulang
For the past several years, Ormond Beach firefighters have climbed 110 steps to honor those who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001.
This year was no exception.
Sixteen firefighters, all wearing their heavy gear, completed the stair climb at the Marina Grande on the Halifax condominiums on Wednesday, Sept. 11. The date marked the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center, which killed 343 firefighters with the New York City Fire Department and 2,996 people, a figure that includes the passengers aboard American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175.
"Twenty-three years ago, that tragic terrorist attack happened," said Capt. Hunter Ramirez prior to the stair climb. "For us in the fire service, we are starting to hire guys that were born after 9/11. So a lot of them do not know the significance of this event. For the fire service and for all of us, that is huge."
The 9/11 terrorist attack marks one of the heaviest loss in the U.S. for those in the fire service, Ramirez said. It's an event that each firefighters is taught about when going through school. They want to make sure their legacy is carried on — no matter how much time has passed.
"Every single year, we want to make it our job to come out here to honor those 343," Ramirez said.
