‘Today, I’m just a firefighter’

Victor Malsom of Shoshone Fire District One reads a snippet about the life of a fallen firefighter during the 9/11 memorial stair climb in Wallace.
CAROLYN BOSTICK/Press

Spirit Lake Fire Chief Debbie Carpenter (center left) and Steven Jones of Coeur d'Alene Fire Department (center right) walk over to choose the firefighter remembrance cards that they carried with them during the 9/11 stair climb in Wallace.

Northern Lakes Fire District firefighter Dan Parrish walks up the hill after selecting firefighter name cards to carry with him during a 9/11 stair climb in Wallace.

Names and stories of fallen first responders were secured to a fence leading up to the stairs used in the Wallace 9/11 stair climb memorial.

Caleb Morris reads from the remembrance card for "Gentle Giant" Timothy Patrick McSweeney, who fell trying to save others in the chaos following the 9/11 attacks.

Participants in the 9/11 stair climb begin their first lap up and around flights of stairs Monday in Wallace. 343 fallen first responders were remembered during the climb as climber carried name cards containing some of the details of their lives.

There was also a canine representative taking part in the 9/11 stair climb Monday morning. Shoshone County District 2 Fire Chief Scott Dietrich and Tamarack the search and recovery dog Tamarack made their way to begin another circuit.

Members of the U.S. Forestry Service carry their firefighting gear up the hill to begin the stair climb Monday.

Timothy Fennell and other participants in the 9/11 stair climb pause for a moment of silence in memory of the fallen first responders.

Shoshone County District One Fire Chief John Miller speaks to the participants before the 9/11 stair climb.

Victor Malsom (left) and Timothy Fennell walk to the descent to begin another lap in the stair climb. Malsom carried with him a fire hose to add weight to honor the fallen firefighters on Sept. 11 2001.

Melanie Shelton and Ashley Christmann of Shoshone District One complete a loop during the stair climb and prepare to start another. Instead of wearing her equipment, this year, Shelton carried her baby and toddler with her. She chose three cards to honor fallen first responders David G. Arce, Martin N. DeMeo, and Frank J. Bonomo.

Marah Ashcraft prepared to make the 12 laps up and around flights of stairs to honor fallen firefighters. Ashcraft volunteers with Shoshone Fire District One.