NH 9/11 Stair Climb Raises Thousands for Fallen Firefighters [VIDEO]

Bill Campbell was visiting his parents in Amherst on Sept. 11, 2001 when he received a call informing him of the attacks on New York City's Twin Towers.

"I did what every other fireman did," said Campbell. "I grabbed my stuff and I headed back down to the World Trade Center to try to help as many people as I could."

Ten years later, Campbell, now with the Nashua Fire Department, helped coordinate the New Hampshire 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb in Manchester.

The event, which took place at the Brady Sullivan Tower at 1000 Elm Street, featured 343 local firefighters and residents who scaled 110 stories in honor of the same number of floors in the iconic Twin Towers.

"Basically, this was just about remembering and honoring the sacrifices and lives of 343 New York City firemen, showing we're going to remember their families who were left behind and still feeling the effects every day," said Campbell.

Of course, he wasn't alone. More than 400 volunteers helped facilitate, and/or participated in, the climb, including firefighters from Amherst, Concord, Exeter, Merrimack, Nashua, Portsmouth, Salem and Windham, among other local towns.

Each participant paid $25, helping to raise more than $8,500 toward the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

Jason Kolligs, an Amherst firefighter, said he was in the Naval Academy 10 years ago, and realized then and there the responsibility of New York City firefighters had just taken on a new level of honor and commitment.

Dillon Dautevil, part of the Concord Fire Department explorers program, said he was 9 years old at the time of the attacks, and was glad to find a way to pay tribute to those who died that fateful day.

Bedford High School sophomores Harrison Voloshin and Dan Gregson, both members of Children of the American Revolution, said the Manchester event allowed them to pay their respects to both the fallen firefighters and the American troops who have since lost their lives fighting the War on Terror.

The following local firefighters participated in the stair climb:

• Kevin Fountaine, Amherst FD
• Chris Buchanan, Amherst FD
• Jason Kolligs, Amherst FD
• Brian Tully, Amherst FD

• Tom Friere, Concord FD
• Dillon D'Auteuil, Concord FD
• Christopher Golomb, Concord FD
• Timothy King, Concord PD

• Patrick Robicheau, Exeter FD
• Matthew Slattery, Exeter, FD

• Jason Godin, Merrimack FD
• Shawn Brechtel, Merrimack FD
• Max Dodge, Merrimack FD
• Matt Duke, Merrimack FD
• Keith Hines, Merrimack FD
• Shawn Kimball, Merrimack FD
• Robert Leite, Merrimack FD
• Dan Newman, Merrimack FD
• Jennifer Chambers, Merrimack FD
• Kevin Chambers, Merrimack FD
• PJ Comeau, Merrimack FD
• Brennan McCarthy, Merrimack FD
• William Pelrin, Merrimack FD
• Scott Simpson, Merrimack FD

• Jeffrey Nelson, Nashua FD
• Chris Marich, Nashua FD
• Rich Meyer, Nashua FD
• Steve Buxton, Nashua FD
• Michael Kass, Nashua FD
• Albert Monaco, Nashua FD
• Patrick Nelson, Nashua FD
• Julian Reed, Nashua FD
• Justin Rioux, Nashua FD

• Ron Edmiston, Pease FD

• Brett Nelson, Portsmouth FD
• John Goodwin, Portsmouth FD
• Patrick McDonagh, Portsmouth FD
• Russell Osgood, Portsmouth FD
• Duncan Regonini, Portsmouth FD
• Michael Rivet, Portsmouth FD
• Scott Young, Portsmouth FD
• Jonathon Gray, Portsmouth FD

• Adam Newbery, Salem FD