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Rock Springs first responders to mark 25th anniversary of 9/11 with Memorial Walk

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Via the Wyoming News Exchange

ROCK SPRINGS (WNE)  — Twenty- five years after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, local first responders and community members will gather on Friday, Sept. 11, to remember those who lost their lives and honor the courage and sacrifice of the first responders who answered the call that day.

The sixth annual 9/11 Memorial Walk will begin with participants gathering at the Western Wyoming College parking lot between 5:30 and 5:45 a.m. Around 6 a.m., the group will walk to the Grant Street extension, where the memorial walk will officially begin.

First responders from the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office, Rock Springs Fire Department, Sweetwater County Fire District #1, Rock Springs Police Department, Wyoming Highway Patrol, and other local agencies will take part in the tribute. 

The walk is open to everyone, including emergency responders, healthcare professionals, and community members who wish to honor the fallen.

Participants will complete six round trips, or 12 total lengths, along the Grant Street extension, a distance chosen to represent the approximately 2,071 steps and 110 floors of the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001. 

Many law enforcement officers and firefighters complete the walk in full duty gear, carrying additional weight as a symbolic reminder of what first responders carried into the towers that morning.

This year’s walk carries added significance as communities across the nation mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11.

“We do this to remember the first responders who climbed those stairs that morning knowing people needed their help,” Sheriff’s Office event coordinator Deputy Jeff Sheaman said. “Twenty-five years later, it’s important that we continue to honor their sacrifice and make sure what happened that day is never forgotten. It’s also an opportunity for our community to come together, build camaraderie, and honor all the lives lost.”

This story was published on Sept. 9, 2026. 

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