The Grand Junction Fire Department marked the 20th anniversary of 9/11 in a very special way.

An Emotional Weekend For America

It's been an emotional weekend for Americans as we remember and reflect on the horrific events of September 11, 2001, and commemorate the 20th anniversary of the dreadful attack on America. I'm not ashamed to say tears were streaming down my face as I watched the broadcast of the reading of the names of the individuals who lost their lives in the attack.

It's Hard To Watch

I watched one documentary that focused on the firefighters who went into the Twin Towers to rescue those who were trapped, and they never came out. The mood of the firefighters was solemn as they prepared to climb the stairs in full gear to reach people who needed to be saved. While they couldn't know the horror that was about to befall them, they seemed well aware of the seriousness of the situation - and they seemed to know they might not make it out alive. I couldn't watch it without getting emotional.

Grand Junction Fire Department Recruits Experience Grueling Climb

Every year, the Grand Junction Fire Department's Recruit Academies participate in a series of stair climbs to pay tribute to those first responders who lost their lives on 9/11. Each stair climb represents 110 stories. The recruits were told, "When it gets hard and you're tired and you're hurting and you want to throw up, think about what they were going through when everybody was running out as they were running up."

Grand Junction Fire Department 9/11 Stair Climb

Every year the Grand Junction Fire Department's Recruit Academies do a series of stair climbs, each one equaling 110 stories. It's an amazing way to pay tribute to the 343 firefighters killed during the 9/11 attack on America.

See 20 Ways America Has Changed Since 9/11

For those of us who lived through 9/11, the day’s events will forever be emblazoned on our consciousnesses, a terrible tragedy we can’t, and won’t, forget. Now, two decades on, Stacker reflects back on the events of 9/11 and many of the ways the world has changed since then. Using information from news reports, government sources, and research centers, this is a list of 20 aspects of American life that were forever altered by the events of that day. From language to air travel to our handling of immigration and foreign policy, read on to see just how much life in the United States was affected by 9/11.

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