September 11, 2016 –
SAN ANTONIO – Firefighters, police, military, and a myriad of other safety and security agencies joined together to commemorate the lives of the first responders lost in the 9/11 attacks, 15 years later on Sept. 11, 2016. Around 960 climbers ascended and descended 110 stories of the Tower of the Americas in downtown San Antonio.
In an air of competition, different safety and security agencies tried to out do each other by donning the most equipment up and down the tower stairs. SWAT members were in full body armor and helmets as Firefighters were fitted with oxygen tanks, face shields, and hoses.
One of the firefighters who made the climb was Joe Ochoa, a firefighter with the Saint Hedwig Fire Department located near San Antonio. Ochoa, a U.S. Army Reserve Veteran, had given much of his life to his country and community.
In 2005, he served in Iraq with the 463rd Engineer Battalion in the U.S. Army Reserve. There he was responsible for fortifying forward operating bases and keeping his fellow service members safe in a combat environment.
Ochoa, along with many other climbers, carried memorial tags with a picture of one of the first responders that were lost. Ochoa was in full fireproof garb and helmet as he made the climb.
“These guys didn’t quit, so I didn’t quit,” he said. “They [the 9/11 first-responders] had no idea what they were running going into. I kept going, to honor them.”
The event coordinator, Dawn Solinski, gathered 300 volunteers to hand out water, direct crowds, and maintain order during the event. Solinski stated, “This started with a cooler full of Gatorade and word of mouth,” as she described the humble beginnings of the event in 2013.
This was the first year the event staff asked for a $20 donation from participants who wanted to climb. After operating costs, the event has raised over $40,000 for the different charities. This year, all of the proceeds will be donated to the Rotary Firefighter’s Home. This is a charity that provides housing for firefighters who are undergoing cancer treatment.