Cherokee Firefighters Receive Stair Climb Trophy

CANTON-SIXES, GA - From Cherokee County Fire & Emergency Services: For the past 11 years on or around September 11th , First Responders, Law Enforcement, Firefighters and their friends and family from around metro Atlanta have been lacing up their running shoes or turnout boots and climbing 110 flights of stairs - the number of flights in the World Trade Center buildings to remember the ultimate sacrifice paid by 2,977 innocent people in New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington in 2001.

This year Home Depot hosted the 110 Flight Stair climb at their corporate offices on Paces Ferry in Cobb County. Upon check in climbers received a lanyard with the name and photograph of a firefighter who lost their life on September 11, 2001. An Opening Ceremony started the climb with Cobb County Hillgrove High School JROTC Honor Guard presenting the colors and a Father/Daughter Bagpipe team. This year’s 2018 Terry Farrell Stair Climb Firefighter Participation Trophy, given to the team with the highest number of participants, went to Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services, ending Cobb County Fire & Emergency Services’ eleven-year streak. Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services was represented by Chief Daryl Mitchell, Captain Ric Mitchell, Search and Rescue team members, Fire Recruit school candidates, Fire Explorers from Post #469 and many family and friends.

The Terry Farrell Firefighters Fund was established in memory of Terry Farrell, a decorated member of Rescue 4 FDNY and Chief of the Dix Hills Volunteer Fire Department. Terry, along with 342 of his fire service brothers and sisters, perished on September 11, 2001 in the World Trade Center Attack. The fund has a goal to assist firefighters and their families across the nation with medical, educational, and equipment needs. They support the firefighters who serve their communities. The fund is operated predominantly by firefighters, along with friends of the fund. They operate on a volunteer basis in order to give back to their firefighting community. They currently have 14 chapters nationwide, of which Georgia is one. This year’s beneficiary of funds raised by the stair climb is a Bartow County Fire Explorer who recently lost his hand in an industrial
accident. The brave young man participated in the stair climb with his fellow firefighters, friends, and supporters just one week out of hospital.

Image via Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services