Firefighters Joshua Brown, Jacob Frame, and Mike Kendrick climbed 110 stories to honor the 343 firefighters killed in the line of duty on September 11. Courtesy photo.
“We climb for them. We honor the fallen. We will never forget. Never.”
Pantex Fire Department Captain Josh Brown spoke these words as he prepared to climb a distance equal to the height of the twin towers — 110 stories — to memorialize the 343 firefighters who gave their lives responding to the terrorist attacks in New York City on September 11, 2001. In full gear, Brown and fellow Pantex firefighters Jacob Frame and Mike Kendrick participated in the Kansas City 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb for the second year in a row to honor the legacy of the fallen.
“Side by side, veteran firefighters and our newest members carry on the traditions and keep the memory of those 343 fallen brothers and sisters alive,” Brown said. “This was one of the most physically challenging events I’ve ever participated in. The heat was 102 degrees in the stairwell, and we were climbing in full gear with air packs. Yet, despite the heat, the gear, and the physical exhaustion, every step reminded us of the firefighters who willingly ran up those stairs, believing they might be able to save lives. They were heroes that day, heroes who gave, not lost, their lives.”
Each participant carries the photo and badge of a firefighter who ran toward danger but never made it home. Climbers take on all 110 stories by going multiple times to the top of the Skyline Collection high-rise in downtown Kansas City to deliver the photo to the top. The route winds up the interior stairwell of the building, where photos, handwritten notes, family pictures, and mementos line the walls, surrounding each climber with the faces and stories of the heroes they represent.
“Traditionally, a 25th anniversary is symbolized by silver, a metal known for its resilience, durability, strength, and ability to hold up under pressure,” Brown said. “Over the last quarter-century, this nation has been tested by terrorism, natural disasters, and a global pandemic. Yet, the United States and its people do not break. We adapt, we push through, and we stand ready whenever the call comes.”
The final act of the climb is to ring a ceremonial bell as a tribute to those who could not ring it themselves.
“Whether serving our national security mission at home or honoring our fallen brothers and sisters in Kansas City, we stand together,” Brown said. “As we strike the bell and call out the name of our assigned fallen firefighter, we will be doing so in honor of all Pantexans.”
PXFD's commitment extends far beyond emergency response. Whether supporting neighboring departments through mutual aid, leading safety training, mentoring local students, or climbing 110 flights of stairs in honor of fallen heroes, the department takes pride in representing Pantex throughout the community. With each step of the memorial climb, PXFD firefighters not only honored those lost on 9/11 but reaffirmed their own dedication to a profession rooted in service.
“We climb to remember,” Brown said. “And we vow never to forget.”