(L-R) Red Deer Firefighter-Paramedics James Fischer, Marc Ryan and Brayden Laturnus who camped out on the patio from March 17-19. (Red Deer Firefighters Children's Charity)

By Alessia Proietti

Rooftop campout and boot drive

Red Deer firefighters raise over $7,000 for Muscular Dystrophy Canada

Mar 27, 2023 | 11:48 AM

The Red Deer Fire Department’s rooftop campout and boot drive raised over $7,000 for Muscular Dystrophy this year.

From March 17- 19, three firefighters were transported by a ladder truck to the roof of Fire Hall 3 (100 Lees St) where they camped outside on their patio. Other firefighters and volunteers collected donations from drivers along 30 St with their boot drive.

READ: Red Deer Fire Department hosts rooftop campout and boot drive for Muscular Dystrophy

“We’re really happy to help out in any way we can. If it was just $5, I’d be happy, but I’m happy that it was quite a bit more than that,” said Ben Shillington, Firefighter-Paramedic with Red Deer Emergency Services (RDES) and organizer of the event.

Shillington confirmed cash donations alone were over $6,600. Their first year with the addition of an Interac boot for debit donations, alongside their online platform, he confirmed the grand total raised was $7,285.71.

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Red Deer firefighters and volunteers along 30 St accepting donations for their boot drive for Muscular Dystrophy Canada (Red Deer Firefighters Children’s Charity)

As for the firefighters on the patio, according to AccuWeather, they camped out in overnight lows of -20C throughout the weekend.

“The guys were warm enough, I wouldn’t say that they were overly comfortable, but they said that they enjoyed their time up there for the most part and they were happy to be a part of it,” he said.

Shillington says while the RDES has normally done just the rooftop campout and boot drive to raise funds for Muscular Dystrophy Canada, he hopes to change things up this year and do even more. Some examples of fundraising events done by firefighters for the cause across the country include truck pulls, where firefighters pull a firetruck by rope, and stair climbs, where firefighters dress in their gear and walk up numerous flights of stairs. According to the University of Alberta, gear can weigh from 51 pounds or more.

Muscular dystrophy is a neuromuscular disorder caused by a flawed connection between the nervous system and muscle groups leading to deterioration of the muscle, hindering mobility. According to Muscular Dystrophy Canada, there are over 160 different types of the disorder making each rare, but collectively, they affect over 50,000 Canadians.