Chief officers and firefighters at Station 1, along with representatives with the Muscular Dystrophy Association, all do the MDA "make a muscle" pose to help kick off the fire department's "Fill the Boot" fundraiser.
The Chattanooga Fire Department, Chattanooga Fire Fighters Association, Local 820 and Muscular Dystrophy Association representatives and families held a kick-off event for MDA Fill the Boot Fundraiser at 9:45 a.m. at Fire Station 1, 218 E. Main St. Thursday morning.
More than 370 firefighters will fan out across the city to seek donations for the MDA on Thursday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The locations will be provided on the department's Facebook page.
MDA Ambassador Luke Dotson, his older sister Lily and his mother Wendy got to have some fun this morning when they gave the signal that started Chattanooga fire companies off on their fundraising drive for the MDA. Luke has a form of muscular dystrophy and he said he truly appreciates what the firefighters are trying to do for him and many other children afflicted by these terrible muscle diseases.
For the next three days from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., more than 370 firefighters will fan out across the city with boots in hand to collect donations for MDA.
Last year the Chattanooga Fire Department finished second in the state by raising $80,507. The goal for this fundraiser is to raise $43,000. Johanna Fowler, Fundraising Coordinator with MDA, says the Chattanooga Fire Department will be first in the state if it reaches that goal. The funds raised support research to find needed treatments and cures for muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases that severely limit strength and mobility. The funds also support the MDA Care Center at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, and they help send local kids to MDA summer camp at no cost to their families. The Chattanooga Fire Fighters Association, Local 820 is also a key sponsor of this fundraising drive.
Starting today, look for Chattanooga firefighters at the following locations:
Quint 1 – 4th St. & Mable St.
Ladder 1 – Main St. & Central
Squad 1 – Broad St. & Aquarium Way
Quint 2 – Market St. & Main St.
Quint 3 – Entrance of Walmart & Cummings Rd.
Engine 4 – Dodson Ave. & Wilcox Blvd.
Engine 5 – Main St. & Willow St.
Quint 4 – Bailey Ave. & Willow St.
Quint 6 – Bonny Oaks Dr. & Hwy 58
Quint 7 – Lee Hwy & Relocation Way (Food City)
Squad 7 – Jenkins Rd. (intersection by Tiger Mart)
Quint 8 – Shallowford Rd. & Hamilton Place Blvd.
Engine 9 – Rossville Blvd. & Dodds Ave.
Quint 10 – Wilder St. & Dodson Ave.
Engine 12 – Frazier Ave. & Forrest Ave.
Quint 13 – Greenway View Dr. & Brainerd Rd.
Squad 13 – Igou Gap Rd. & Gunbarrel Rd.
Quint 14 – St. Elmo Ave. & 38th St.
Engine 15 – Moore Rd. & Shallowford Rd.
Quint 16 – Lupton Dr. & Hixson Pike
Quint 17 – Mountain Creek Rd. & Signal Mtn Blvd.
Quint 19 – North Point Rd. & Hixson Pike
Squad 19 – North Point Rd. & Hixson Pike
Squad 20 – Brown Ferry Rd. & Cummings Rd.
Quint 21 – E. Brainerd Rd. & Graysville Rd. (Walmart parking lot)
Engine 22 – Walmart Entrance and Exit behind Chik-Fil-A on Hwy 153
MDA Ambassador Luke Dotson got to wave the department flag to start the fire trucks off at Station 1 this morning on their Fill the Boot fundraiser for MDA. Behind Luke is his sister Lily, his mother Wendy and Captain Keith Liles, who is representing the Chattanooga Fire Department and the Chattanooga Fire Fighters Association, Local 820.