Former Miami Township Fire-Rescue Chief Colin Altman, left, led local firefighters in organizing, and participating in, the fifth annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at Antioch College in 2018. (Photo by Megan Bachman)
Climb to honor 9/11 first responders
- Published: September 11, 2025
As the nation approaches the 24th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, the UD Arena will host the 11th annual LION Gem City 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb.
The event is sponsored by Dayton’s LION Group and presented by Premier Health. Registration is now open through Friday, Sept. 12, online at gemcityclimb.org.
This year’s climb will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, at the University of Dayton Arena. The event welcomes everyone who wants to honor the 343 firefighters who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001, as well as those who have died since then. All proceeds will go to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF). Funds raised from the LION Gem City 9/11 Stair Climb directly support the NFFF’s mission to honor our nation’s fallen firefighters, support their families, and reduce firefighter line-of-duty deaths and injuries across the fire service. The Foundation also provides scholarships, peer support, grief and mental health resources, and crucial safety training to departments nationwide.
The LION Gem City 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at UD Arena remains one of the largest events of its kind in the area. Since it began in Yellow Springs, it has drawn nearly 3,000 participants from the fire service community, their families, friends and the public, who together have raised over $180,000 for the NFFF.
Participants will climb the equivalent of 110 stories, the height of the World Trade Center towers, on the iconic steps of UD Arena. Each climber will carry an honor badge bearing the name and photo of one of the fallen firefighters or police officers, symbolically completing the journey those heroes began. Upon completion, climbers will ring a fire bell in solemn tribute. The climb is not a race, but rather a tribute to the heroes of 9/11, and participants are not required to complete the entire climb.
For additional information, registration details, and FAQs, visit the event’s Facebook page or go online to gemcityclimb.org.
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