Community marks 25 years since 9/11 with annual Memorial Stair Climb
Georgetown’s Fire and Police departments observed the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on Friday with their annual Memorial Stair Climb at Birkelbach Field. The event brought uniformed first responders, department leaders and family members to the bleachers of the high school football stadium for a ceremonial climb that has become a local tradition.
An American flag that flew on Georgetown Fire Department Engine 2 on Sept. 11, 2001 was again displayed during the ceremony. The flag and the climb itself served as focal points for quiet reflection before participants began their ascent of the stadium steps.
First responders gathered on the field in the early morning, spending a moment of silence before the climb began. The stair climb symbolically honours the number of steps it took to climb the towers in New York City and pays tribute to the victims and those who responded on that day. Among those on hand were senior officers from both services, newer recruits and family members who joined to remember and support.
- Leaders present: Georgetown Fire Chief John Sullivan; Georgetown Police Chief Corey Tchida; Georgetown Assistant Fire Chief Clay Shell.
- Family participation: Battalion Chief Carl Boatright was joined by his 5-year-old grandson Emmett Goettsch; Police Commander Renee Koog participated with her 12-year-old son, T.C. Grasse.
- Department members: Newer department members, including 20-year-old firefighter Mason Chambers, took part alongside veteran personnel.
Music and ceremonial elements accompanied the climb. Georgetown Fire Department Captain Garey Jackson, a member of the Georgetown Pipes & Drums, performed "Amazing Grace" as participants moved. The combination of the pipes and the presence of the historic flag lent a reflective, communal tone to the morning.
Photos from the event captured moments before and during the climb: quiet grouping of first responders awaiting the start; families linking generations as they prepared to ascend; leaders walking in step with crews; and participants nearing the end of the climb. The images, taken by Andy Sharp, illustrate the breadth of participation — from frontline personnel to family members — and the event’s role as a place of remembrance.
Chiefs from both public safety branches led by example. Fire Chief John Sullivan and Police Chief Corey Tchida took part in the climb, a visible demonstration of solidarity between departments. Assistant Fire Chief Clay Shell was photographed approaching the final steps of the climb, highlighting the physical and symbolic effort members undertook that morning.
The stair climb also provided an opportunity for new recruits and younger personnel to join a longer-standing local ritual. Among them was 20-year-old Mason Chambers, described as one of the newer members of the Georgetown Fire Department. The inclusion of younger members and family participants underscores how the event connects generations within the departments and the broader community.
| Participant | Role / Relation |
|---|---|
| John Sullivan | Georgetown Fire Chief |
| Corey Tchida | Georgetown Police Chief |
| Carl Boatright (and grandson Emmett) | Battalion Chief; 5-year-old grandson participated |
| Renee Koog (and son T.C. Grasse) | Police Commander; participated with her 12-year-old son |
| Mason Chambers | Firefighter, approximately 20 years old, newer member |
The stair climb is one of several annual observances in Georgetown that honour first responders and fallen figures from national tragedies. Locally organised and staffed, the event emphasises remembrance and solidarity rather than spectacle. For participants and onlookers, the climb is a physical act of memory — a measured repetition of steps that binds the town’s public safety community and families in shared tribute.
As the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11 passed, the morning at Birkelbach Field reinforced the role of local traditions in preserving memory. The display of the Engine 2 flag, the bagpipe rendition of "Amazing Grace" and the sight of chiefs and recruits climbing together offered a reminder of the connections between Georgetown’s civic institutions and the families they serve.
Photographs from the event, credited to Andy Sharp, show the emotional quiet and communal determination of those who attended. For Georgetown, the Memorial Stair Climb remains a modest but powerful way to mark a national anniversary at a local level.
