JACKSON, Wyo. — In observance of the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, local first responders are inviting the community to join them for a commemorative hill climb up Snow King Mountain on Friday.
The community event strives to honor the emergency responders who gave their lives that day along with those who continued rescue and recovery efforts in the aftermath. According to Jackson Hole Fire/EMS, 343 New York Fire Department (FDNY) firefighters, 37 Port Authority police officers, 23 New York Police Department officers and eight emergency
medical services workers were killed.
“This gathering gives the Jackson Hole community a meaningful chance to reflect on the events of 9/11 and continue healing from the wounds left by that day,” Jackson Hole
Fire/EMS Deputy Fire Chief Brian Coe said in a statement.
Friday’s schedule of events begins with a ceremony on Town Square at 8:30 a.m. The hill climb will be held from 4 to 7 p.m., starting at the base of Snow King, where a community barbecue will be taking place. There will be free water and T-shirts for those who participate in the 1,500-foot climb, which is equivalent to the 110 stories of the World Trade Center, per Fire/EMS. Climbers will carry an identification badge honoring a first responder who served on 9/11.
This year’s event will feature audio recordings of radio communications from FDNY units and dispatchers who worked that day — a new element for the event’s 10th edition.
“Jackson’s first responders have organized the 9/11 Memorial Hill Climb every year since 2016,” Coe said. “The event continues to expand, offering our community a powerful way to honor the responders of 9/11 and the many lives that were lost or forever changed. … We’ve pledged to Never Forget, and we are committed to upholding that promise.”
