Firefighters in an Illinois station will hit the streets this week with yellow and black boots in hand to raise funds for a good cause.
Members of the Waukegan Firefighters Union 473 are raising money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the Chicago Tribune reported. Their "Fill the Boot" drive is an annual event where the firefighters walk around town trying to fill their iconic boots with donations from the public.
The Muscular Dystrophy Association is a national nonprofit that aids individuals and families affected by neuromuscular diseases like muscular dystrophy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, more commonly known as ALS. According to the organization's website, it is the leading nonprofit health agency dedicated to finding treatments and cures for neuromuscular diseases.
"[MDA has] so many outreach programs that they help with and things like the loan closet or helping contact specialists or giving treatment at one of their Chicago clinics," Jeanette Nieves-Rodriguez told the Tribune. "And it's not just for the patient. It's also for the family members. It's critical."
Nieves-Rodriguez's son Ryan was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy at the age of 5 and has since been aided by the MDA.
It is important for firefighters and other emergency responders to learn to manage the stress created by their jobs.
According to the Tribune, this year the Waukegan firefighters hope to raise between $6,000 and $7,000 for the organization. They have raised over $100,000 since first becoming involved with the fundraiser in 2002.
The International Association of Fire Fighters has partnered with the MDA for over 60 years. During this time the IAFF has raised more than $550 million toward finding treatments and cures for neuromuscular diseases, the MDA reported.