First responders, civilians compete in 4th annual firefighter stair climb

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — Firefighters and civilians alike made their rounds over 110 flights of stairs as they honored the 343 firefighters who lost their lives after the attack on the World Trade Center in 2001. The 4th Annual Central Georgia Firefighter Stair Climb was a rounding success. Firefighter and event organizer Shane Shifflett shared some details on the climb.

“We do it to honor the 343 that passed away on 9/11, who gave the ultimate sacrifice on 9/11. We’re also doing it for Chicago Lt. Jan Tchoryk, who passed away a couple weeks ago climbing a high rise fire,” Shifflett said. “This is our biggest year, on both our combat challenge and the firefighter stair climb. 111 checked in. We’ve averaged around 100.”

Fire departments from all over the state were in attendance at the climb, hailing all the way out from Peach Tree City to as close as the many department of Houston County. The majority of contestants, however, were civilians.

“We’ve got gyms here today, we’ve got regular people showing up that want to honor the 343,” Shifflett said.

Climbers made 11 rotations, gaining 22 total marks, as they went up and down Rigby’s Best Western’s 10 flights of stairs. Some ran, others walked, and many wore varying levels of firefighter gear as they made their way up and down each set.

Corey Hamlin, a Houston County firefighter present at the climb, spoke a bit on why they come out year after year.

“People in our department like to show out, compete, and do things together — it brings in that brotherhood,” Hamlin said. “It’s a good time for building morale, comradery and brotherhood.

“We stay together 24 hours a day, ten days a month, and we have to have each others back. It’s a dangerous job. At any moment we have to be able to trust and lean on each other, so whenever you build that kind of relationship with somebody, it makes you family.”

Houston County Fire Dept. was awarded as the fire department with the most members in attendance; Centerville Fire Dept. came in second.

Money raised during the event through sponsorships or registrations were given to the Georgia Firefighters Burn Foundation.

HHJ News