More than 50 emergency service workers from across Grey Bruce and beyond tackled the stairs at the Bayshore over the weekend for the 9/11 memorial stair climb.
Chatsworth Firefighter and Lead Organizer Brent Radmore says emergency workers, including firefighters and police, did 10 laps around the Bayshore arena, climbing up and down the stairs in full gear.
Owen Sound Police at 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb (Photo by Nathan Shubert)
“This is in memory of 9/11 and all the firefighters, paramedics and police that perished on that day, but we also keep in mind of all the firefighters and first responders that have perished from that day forward and going forward,” says Radmore.
He says the event also operates as a fundraiser.
“Any money we raise is going to Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Grey Bruce to their Resilient Minds, which is mental health training for our first responders local to the area,” says Radmore. “It’s about coming and having a good time, meeting new people from all different departments.”
Radmore adds the event has grown in popularity from when it first started out.
“Growing this event from eight people five years ago to 55 plus this year,” says Radmore. “The word is getting out there and people are starting to realize that this is more than an event of just climbing some stairs, it’s the brotherhood, the sisterhood of emergency services.”
The emergency service workers were also joined by local dignitaries including Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MP Alex Ruff and Owen Sound Mayor Ian Boddy.
“This looks like a really interesting event. It will be a lot of hard work and I think it makes us all remember 9/11 and the firefighters that were climbing the stairs in those buildings that lost their life. It’s good to remember and it’s good to remember what our own officers do day in day out in the area,” says Boddy. “It just shows that they are all one big team.”