On Friday, September 11, 2026, firefighters, families, businesses, volunteers and community members came together at Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center in Eagan for the inaugural Minnesota 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb. The event, hosted by Red Line Fitness, created a powerful space for remembrance and reflection 25 years after the attacks.
Following a solemn opening ceremony, more than 180 climbers representing over 24 fire departments and EMS providers took to the stadium stairs, including MnFIRE President Mike Dobesh and MnFIRE Executive Director DeeDee Jankovich. Participants climbed the equivalent of 110 flights of stairs, the height of the Twin Towers, and carried with them the names of the 343 FDNY firefighters who lost their lives on September 11. At the end of the climb, each person rang a silver memorial bell in tribute to those we lost and their legacy that continues to inspire the fire service today.
“It was a moving event,” says Jankovich. “As we remember the lives lost on that tragic day, we’re also reminded of the risks firefighters face daily while serving our communities. Red Line Fitness created a meaningful and respectful tribute, and MnFIRE was honored to be one of the beneficiaries of this climb.”
The Minnesota 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb was a fundraiser for MnFIRE and Minnesota Fire Service Foundation. MnFIRE’s portion will support ongoing programs for our state’s 20,000 firefighters and their families, including MnFIRE’s Extended Benefits Program that includes a critical illness insurance policy and up to five no-cost counseling sessions to those who leave the fire service.
MnFIRE is grateful to Red Line Fitness for organizing this event, and to every climber, volunteer, sponsor, family member and community partner who helped make the inaugural event a success.
Save the date
The Minnesota 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb will return on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2027. We hope you’ll join us as we climb in memory of the 343.
