Members of the Seattle Fire Fighters Union, Local 27 raised $50,000 during the annual Fill the Boot drive on September 18th and 19th to benefit children and adults affected by muscle disease throughout the Seattle area.

“For six decades, fire fighters have fueled MDA's mission to find treatments and cures for life-threatening muscle diseases, and this year’s Seattle Fill the Boot results are a perfect example of the true dedication Seattle Fire Fighters Union, Local 27 has toward supporting the families we serve,” said Director of Business Development, Whitney McIlwain “We’re grateful for the support of these inspiring, selfless individuals who provide life-saving help that will fund research, advocate for children and adults affected by muscle disease, and rally our community to fight back.”

Funds raised through 2014 Seattle Fill the Boot events will help support MDA's programs of worldwide research, specialized health care services, and day-to-day support – which includes sending children affected by muscular dystrophy and related muscle diseases to a weeklong, barrier-free MDA summer camp at Camp Seymour in Gig Harbor.

As the Muscular Dystrophy Association's largest national sponsor, the IAFF fuels MDA's mission to find treatments and cures for life-threatening muscle diseases.

The IAFF is a major contributing sponsor of the MDA Show of Strength Telethon, and IAFF contributions from charity baseball games and other local events help support MDA's efforts to raise awareness and provide professional and public education about neuromuscular diseases.

IAFF support for MDA began in 1954 when the organization committed by proclamation to support MDA until a cure is found, and the organization's unwavering commitment to MDA has remained strong to this day. The IAFF raised $100,000 for MDA in 1955, and $1 million in 1970, and fire fighters continue to raise the bar in their fundraising efforts. In 2013, more than 100,000 fire fighters participated in Fill the Boot events across the country and raised $26.2 million. To date the IAFF has raised $530 million for MDA.