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Five Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) firefighters are preparing to travel to Atlanta, USA, to take part in the 2026 Memorial Stair Climb, marking the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
The team will fly to the United States on Thursday 3 September ahead of the climb on Saturday 5 September, where they will join more than 1,200 firefighters from the United States and around the world in a powerful act of remembrance and solidarity.
Selected through a national ballot process, the Suffolk firefighters are part of a UK contingent chosen to honour the 343 firefighters from the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) who lost their lives during the attacks on 11 September 2001.
Representing SFRS are:
Tony Watson (from Stowmarket Fire Station)
Grant Whitehead (Ipswich East)
Tim Cheale (Saxmundham)
Nick Floyd (Debenham)
Laura Grinsted (Stowmarket)
During their time in Atlanta, the team will complete the symbolic 110-floor stair climb alongside colleagues from other UK fire and rescue services, each carrying the name and photograph of one of the 343 FDNY firefighters who lost their lives on 11 September 2001.
The team will also visit American fire stations, attend memorial events and meet firefighters from across the United States before returning home on Monday 7 September.
Alongside their preparations for the climb, the firefighters have been raising money for the Blue Light Card Foundation, The Fire Fighters Charity and the US-based Terry Farrell Foundation.
The team has already raised more than £1,300 thanks to the generosity of local communities and supporters. Despite a recent fundraising event at The Buttermarket in Ipswich being postponed at short notice due to the major incident at Dunwich Heath, members of the public continued to donate, helping maintain momentum ahead of the trip.
Firefighter Tony Watson said:
“We were all incredibly touched when a Facebook post announcing the postponement of our continuous ladder climb in Ipswich prompted people to ask how they could donate anyway.
“What followed was an outstanding response and a powerful reminder of the support we continue to receive from the communities we serve. We never take that support for granted, and we are hugely grateful for the generosity shown so far. But we're not stopping there.
“This summer has seen an exceptional period of operational demand for firefighters, from our own major incident at Dunwich Heath to supporting wildfire responses in South Wales, Hampshire and other parts of the UK. We have seen first-hand the challenges crews have faced and the importance of standing together as a fire and rescue community.
“That's why we're determined to build on the momentum we've already seen and raise as much as possible. Every donation will help charities that provide vital support to firefighters, emergency service personnel and their families, ensuring they are there when people need them most.
“We would encourage colleagues, friends, family and members of the public to get behind this fantastic cause and help us make a real difference.”
The Memorial Stair Climb is one of the world's most significant firefighter remembrance events and forms part of the international commemorations marking the 25th anniversary of 9/11.
As the team prepares to depart, Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service wishes Tony, Grant, George, Tim, Nick, Sam, Aaron and Laura every success as they represent the county in the United States.
To support the team
If you would like to support the firefighters and their fundraising efforts, please donate via 9_11 Memorial Stair Climb or by using the Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service dedicated QR code. Using the QR code will enable the charity to attribute funds raised to our Service.
