Video: Friday's NFFF/FDIC 9-11 Memorial Stair Climb at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Click here to learn how to host a 9-11 Memorial Stair Climb in your community

Sign up for the April 6 climb at CFSI in Washington, DC

I offer this as an antidote to that sleazy 9-11 ad story I sent your way this morning. Above is a look at Friday's 9-11 Memorial Stair Climb inside Lucas Oil Stadium.

As part of my work with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, I have been pushing the climbs as a way to honor the firefighters we lost 10-years-ago. To be honest, while I had heard a lot from firefighters who have hosted and organized climbs, I had never seen one until Friday at FDIC. The video doesn't quite do justice to this wonderful way to join together to remember the fallen and raise money to help their survivors and others. There is another climb next week (April 6) at CFSI in Washington, DC.

Rather than me trying to explain what a great experience and event a 9-11 Memorial Stair Climb is, read what was posted yesterday on the Average Jake Firefighter Blog run by Robert and Daniel Owens:

Of all of the times I have been to FDIC and all of the classes, and events I have been to I rarely have any regrets when I leave. This year I left with a HUGE regret. The 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb, was probably one of the best displays of brotherhood, I have ever witnessed. I regret not participating, I watched and was moved by the imagery of the brothers and sisters with pictures of the 343 making the long walk up the Lucas Oil Stadium steps, and I immediately regretted not doing it. I kind of felt like a scum bag. I use FDIC for a lot of things, learning, teaching, and relaxing. I felt selfish for not giving up one night of drinking, or a day of taking it easy to memorialize our fallen brothers. I hear there is one coming to DC, and I hear they may be one coming to other locations close to me. I will definitely be participating in one of them, and I hope FDIC does one again next year so that I can participate.