Bristol Airport Firefighter takes part in Epic stair climb to commemorate 9/11

Bristol Airport Firefighter, Lexi Grant, has been selected as one of the 343 firefighters taking on the challenge of climbing the equivalent height of the World Trade Centre Towers, which had 110 floors. The towers were destroyed in the attack, killing thousands including 343 fire fighters. On Saturday 5 September, Firefighter Grant will continually walk up and down stairs in the Atlanta Braves stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, until she has climbed the same number of steps.

Firefighter Grant will be representing Bristol Airport Fire Team in the Terry Farrell Memorial Stair climb, named after the veteran and highly decorated Fire fighter, Terry Farrell, who served in the elite team of New York’s Rescue 4 division, during the attack.

Firefighter Grant explained: “It’s a real honour to take part. Each of us will be wearing a name badge that represents one of the 343 fire fighters who sadly lost their life in the tragedy. The event honours their courage and continues to unite fire fighters around the world and is a mark of solidarity. We’ll be climbing the equivalent height of the Twin Towers, which was 110 floors, by walking up and down the open-air stadium stairs in full fire kit just like the New York fire fighters did that day.”

Firefighter Grant has been preparing for what is expected to be a hot and humid challenge by training on a stair master in the gym while wearing her full kit as well as walking on the tread mill with an incline. Coupled with her triathlon training she says she feels as prepared as can.

“Full kit weighs about 10kg so it’s going to be a fitting physical challenge on my 5ft 3 inches frame, but my triathlon training has certainly helped get me in shape.”

While Firefighter Grant has only been a firefighter at Bristol Airport for eight years, she explained that the connection with the New York Fire Departments has been passed on from former firefighters at the Airport ever since 9/11.

“After the terrorist attack, a now retired firefighter from Bristol Airport reached out to a colleague in one of the New York Fire Departments and shortly afterwards some of the team went out to visit. Then the following year some of the fire teams came to Bristol for some rest and recuperation, which included visiting the local area. Since then, our fire teams have formed a strong bond. We soon realised quite a few of the firefighters enjoyed playing golf, so in 2005 we decided to hold a bi-annual golf tournament, which we fondly named the Cyder Cup. And we’ve kept this tradition going ever since.”

More firefighters from Bristol Airport will be heading to New York the following week to attend the 25th memorial on Friday September 11 including Planning Resilience Co-Ordinator Tony Smith, Sub

Officer Carl Bailey, leading firefighter Antony Nash and firefighter Craig Bailey, as well as some retired firefighters. Afterwards they’ll be heading to Atlantic city to play in the Cyder Cup.

The Terry Farrell Memorial Stair climb will be raising money for its charity which supports fire fighters and their families in the US, along with the Fire Fighters Charity who provide life-changing support to UK firefighters and their loved ones, and the Blue Light Card Foundation, who ensure the entire community from NHS staff to emergency responders and the armed forces are all supported whether that be mentally, emotionally or physically.