Memorial stair climb replicates valor of 9/11 first responders
IMPERIAL — On the 15th anniversary of the devastating attacks on the World Trade Center towers the Imperial County community bonded together to commemorate the courageous public safety officials who risked their lives to save others.
This was the third annual memorial stair climb at the Imperial Valley Expo that welcomed firefighters, public safety personnel and individuals to trace the steps representing the 343 firefighters who were killed during rescue operations on Sept. 11, 2001. Calexico Fire Department firefighters and fire cadets will climb the equivalent of 110 stories the number of flights comprising the towers that fell that day. The memorial has grown into a community event with many more civic partners now, remarked Jonathan Pacheco, public information officer for Border Patrol.
“It’s difficult to know what was going through the minds of the firefighters at the time but our walk gives a sense of the chaos,” said Pacheco. “But in spite of that trauma their first priority was to rescue as many as they could.”
Alessio Faccin, another Border Patrol agent, noted he has been in law enforcement 23 years and feels an emotional connection with all the police and federal agents who were on the scene at the Twin Towers. “We’re here to honor everybody and it’s the least we can do.”
The stair climb not only honors the fallen, noted Matt Bush, Calexico firefighter, a co-organizer with Tiffine Macias, an IV Expo event coordinator, but it is recognition of the selflessness public safety officials devote on a daily basis he said.
“This is a day of good Samaritans where everybody works together as a team.” said Bush. “We hope people here today remember all the hard work and devotion of our most skilled personnel.”
Walking the track where a memorial wall of the photos, names and biographies of the 343 firefighters was located, were local residents Blanca Niebla and her daughter, Andrea Sabori.
“It’s difficult to know what was going through the minds of the firefighters at the time but our walk gives a sense of the chao. But in spite of that trauma their first priority was to rescue as many as they could.” Jonathan Pacheco, Border Patrol public information officer
Andrea is only in the third grade, born several years after the WTC attacks. Yet she still felt compelled to pay tribute to the firefighters. “It’s exciting to be here,” said Andrea. “We learn about this in school.”
Jose Duarte is a fire cadet at Imperial Valley College who along with fellow cadets Anthony Villa, Joel Lara and Francisco Quiroz posed for photos in front of a mural of the Statue of Liberty. “It’s an awesome feeling to be here,” said Duarte. “We wanted to give back and honor the fallen.”
Attending his second memorial stair climb was Gerald Robinson a volunteer who helped set up the walking track, a portable fan and distributed bottles of water. Robinson was approached by Macias to pitch in and he agreed it was a privilege to help put on the event.
“We came together to do something positive and even though we’re in a small valley we can still make a difference,” said Robinson. “If you give people something positive they’ll feed off of it. I always volunteer at the fairgrounds. Instead of putting your hand out you need to give a hand first.”