Fire-fighter Memorial Stair Climb to be held on September 11 in Auckland

Climb part of a series of international memorial events

A group of New Zealand Fire-fighters will climb all 30 floors of the old BNZ building at 125 Queen Street in Auckland this Sunday 11 September. The Memorial Climb, now in its third year, is to remember all Fire-fighters, both in New Zealand and overseas, who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

Founder of this climb, Tony Scott from Fireup Events, who is a Firefighter himself at Auckland Airport, is passionate about raising awareness and is responsible for several Firefighter related events.

Tony said. “Every day, Fire-fighters all over New Zealand and the world put themselves on the line for others, and we hope that this event will help honour that spirit.”

The inspiration for a climb here in New Zealand came to Tony whilst attending the funeral of his friend Firefighter Derek Lovell, who tragically died whilst attending a fire in Hamilton in April 2008.

The date of the event, September 11, is symbolic for the date in which 343 American Fire-fighters lost their lives in New York. That tragedy remains poignant for many in the Fire Service, both here and overseas. This memorial stair climb is designed primarily to remember kiwis that have lost their lives, but to also remember those who perished in 9/11.

This year the New Zealand event has been recognised and linked with other memorial climbs from around America that are being held to remember those who have perished in the line of duty Being the first country to see in a new day, the New Zealand Memorial Climb is the first of five Memorial Climbs occurring on September 11th.

Each of the Fire-fighters who climb the BNZ stairs in Auckland will wear a tally with the details of one of the 56 New Zealanders or one of the 343 New York Firefighters. It will state their name, and their brigade, while the New York tallies will have the engine or ladder companies the Fire-fighters were assigned to, and their names, on the back.

The event starts at 10am outside the (old) BNZ Building in Mills Lane, which is between Queen Street and Albert Street, with Fire-fighters assembling to listen and remember the the New Zealand Fire-fighters who have been lost, and the engine and ladder companies of the New York Fire Department who lost Fire-fighters on 9/11. A prayer by Bishop Ross Bay will follow before the Fire-fighters line up and commence the climb.

ENDS

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