Utica, N.Y. - In four short years, a 911 tribute event in Utica that started with 50 area volunteer firefighter has turned into an emotional journey for 400 first responders from near and far.

Oriskany Fire Chief Jeff Burkhart founded the CNY Memorial Stair Climb four years ago and says he did not foresee the event growing as fast as it has, "This is amazing, I never really envisioned that it would get like this."

400 first responders from as far away as New Jersey turned out Saturday morning to walk up and down the stairwells of the State Office Building in Utica. Each walked a total of 110 flights of stairs, the number of floors in the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center where 412 first responders lost their lives on September 11th, 2001.

Burkhart says he is glad he founded this event and hopes to see it continue to grow, "We did it because they did it, and it’s the right thing to do, so that’s what we’re going to keep doing."