Area first responders climb 110 flights of stairs in full gear to honor those who died on 9/11

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – On this Sunday, 21 years ago, first responders climbed 110 stories at the World Trade Center after the twin towers were attacked.

A total of 343 firefighters lost their lives in the line of duty on that horrific day.

To pay homage, first responders from the Jacksonville area climbed 110 flights of stairs in full firefighting gear at the YMCA on San Jose Boulevard.

“Everyone thinks about the brave men and women that go up those stairs in 9-11. I’ve been saying it a lot, they didn’t have the option of turning back around or taking a break, so we’re going do that same thing,” said Nicholas Phillips, a Jacksonville firefighter.

“We’re doing it as a commemoration of thanking and never forgetting what happened that day,” said John Castrovince, a St John’s County firefighter.

It’s a tradition that happens every September 11. Firefighters across the country participate and even some everyday Americans are taking the 100-plus steps.

This climb means something to every single person participating. But for Amy Ogilvie this is personal. She was just blocks away from the World Trade Center 21 years ago.

“We watched all the buildings around us not just the two towers…there’s four to five buildings all collapse,” said Amy Ogilvie, a Jacksonville native who lived in New York.

Step by step Amy is honoring the people who died in the place she once called home.

“We lived this tragedy for years after, years. So, I do this because I now turn the negative into positive,” said Ogilvie.