Memphis is hosting its first-ever National Fallen Firefighters Foundation 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb on September 26, inviting climbers to scale the equivalent of 110 stories at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in honor of the 343 FDNY firefighters who died on September 11, 2001. Suburban agencies including Bartlett Fire and the Bartlett Police Department are already rallying support, with Bartlett Fire announcing plans to form its own climbing team for the inaugural event.
The event was announced via a Bartlett Police Department Facebook post asking, “Should we make a team?” — a call the department extended to Bartlett and Memphis residents alike, inviting them to attend as climbers, spectators, or donors. The climb is presented by 1-800-Boardup of the Midsouth and lists the City of Bartlett, the Bartlett, TN Fire Department, the Bartlett Police Department, and the Bartlett Police Charitable Foundation among its supporters, according to the event materials shared in the post.
The 2026 Memphis climb marks the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, and it plugs Shelby County into a tradition that stretches back two decades. The stair climb movement began on September 11, 2005, when five Colorado firefighters climbed 110 flights in a Denver high-rise, and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation partnered with the founders in 2010 to standardize the event nationwide. The organization now coordinates roughly 40 to 50 of these memorial climbs annually across stadiums, high-rises, and military bases, generating millions of dollars each year for survivor support programs and safety training.
Why the Climb Still Matters 25 Years Later
The symbolism runs deeper than the stair count. In September 2023, the Fire Department of the City of New York reported that 343 members had died from post-9/11 toxic exposure illnesses, a figure that matched and then surpassed the 343 firefighters lost on the day of the attacks, according to CBS News. Responders at Ground Zero were exposed to pulverized building materials containing asbestos, lead, and toxic synthetic compounds, a legacy that continues to claim lives decades later.
Proceeds from the Memphis climb will benefit the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, which was created by Congress in 1992 as a federally chartered nonprofit headquartered in Emmitsburg, Maryland, tasked with supporting the families of firefighters killed in the line of duty. Event proceeds also support the FDNY Counseling Service Unit, which provides long-term mental health counseling and peer support to FDNY members and assists fire departments nationwide after line-of-duty deaths or disasters, according to Firehouse Magazine. That unit expanded dramatically after 2001 to address widespread psychological trauma among rescue workers.
A Renovated Stadium Sets the Stage
The event listing names the venue both as Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium and, in the official event details, as Liberty Bowl Stadium at 335 S Hollywood St. in Memphis. The stadium, originally opened in 1965 as Memphis Memorial Stadium, holds more than 58,000 people and sits inside the 136-acre Liberty Park complex in Midtown Memphis. The University of Memphis and city partners have also been managing a $220 million renovation project at the stadium, including a rebuilt west side and new hospitality spaces, with the work slated for completion ahead of the 2026 football season.
Bartlett Fire's involvement gives the climb a distinctly regional flavor. The department operates five fire stations staffed by 98 shift personnel and seven administrative staff, running three engine pumpers, two aerial trucks, and five Advanced Life Support ambulances. It has been led since January 2023 by Chief Tommy Gately, a Bartlett High School graduate who began his career with the city as a firefighter in 2000 and holds a master's degree in emergency services. Bartlett sits just northeast of Memphis in Shelby County and maintains its own municipal emergency services independent of the city, a distinction that came up earlier this year when Bartlett Police clarified for residents that blaring tornado sirens were simply a test.
How to Register, Sponsor, or Show Up
Registration for the climb opened with an early-bird rate of $35 through July 11, rising to $40 afterward, and t-shirts are available for purchase separately. Onsite check-in begins at 6:30 a.m. on September 26, followed by an opening ceremony at 8:45 a.m., with climbers starting at 9:01 a.m. and the event wrapping no later than 12:30 p.m.
Businesses can also back the climb through a tiered sponsorship structure. The top-level On Fire Sponsor costs $3,500 and includes a company logo on the event shirt, an on-site exhibit booth, and social media recognition. The Blaze Sponsor runs $1,000 and adds a small logo on the shirt plus banner placement, while the Smokin' Sponsor at $500 includes a name listed on the shirt. Business Partner and Donation Partner tiers, at $250 and $100 respectively, each include social media recognition. Questions about registration or sponsorship can be directed to Misteria DeRung at 1-901-356-2048 or by email at [email protected].
Memphis joins a growing list of communities marking the 25th anniversary with their own versions of the tradition this year, including similar climbs organized by volunteers and first responders elsewhere in the country. For Bartlett's fire and police departments, though, the focus is closer to home: building a local team willing to climb 110 stories for a cause that, twenty-five years on, still touches active firefighters every year.
