Photo By Douglas Stutz | Taking it to the top, one step at a time…Chief Hospital Corpsman Rose Hendricks...... read more read more
Calves were straining, quads were screaming, and lungs were puffing like overworked bellows as Naval Hospital Bremerton staff did their ascending best – one step at a time – in a 9/11 Stair Climb Challenge.
The challenge, held September 11, 2025, and coordinated by Navy Medicine Readiness Training Command Bremerton chief petty officer selects, was held in conjunction with a somber 9/11 remembrance ceremony throughout the morning.
The step-by-step homage was for those 343 firefighters, eight emergency medical services personnel, 72 law enforcement officers and other first responders who lost their lives responding to the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center office towers that fateful day 24 years ago.
“I remember 9/11. I was stationed in Okinawa back then. Doing this challenge is a fitting way to help remember all those responders, and others, who lost their life during that horrific event. It’s the least we can do to remind ourselves of them. It was a challenge. My legs were jelly afterwards,” said Chief Hospital Corpsman Chester Lapid.
The challenge called for participants to clamber up seven lengthy flights of stairs, reverse course back down and repeat the process a total of six times.
“While I was only able to do one set, I did the stair challenge to honor the memory of the 422 first responders who gave their lives in the service of others. While most were running down the stairs, they were heading up, fully loaded with up to 75 pounds of gear, into danger to save lives. I watched those towers fall in real time and I grieved with the nation. I will never forget,” said Laurie Gonzalez, of NHB Information Management department.
The stair climb challenge also correlates with Navy Medicine’s priority of ensuring there is a ready medical force capable of supporting a medically ready force. Part of that operational readiness standard is being physically able to effectively respond to any emergency.
A dozen staff took on and completed the challenge, with additional members getting in as many levels as time allotted them. Chief Hospital Corpsman (Select) Lee Halls completed the challenge in 15 minutes, shaving four minutes and 10 seconds from the best time set several years earlier. Placing second was Lt. Meagan Rawers, who rucked the accumulated climb total of more than several thousand steps in 16 minutes, 20 seconds.
| Date Taken: | 09.11.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.11.2025 18:54 |
| Story ID: | 547923 |
| Location: | BREMERTON , WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 168 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, A Climb to Remember First Responders at Naval Hospital Bremerton, by Douglas Stutz, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
