FIREFIGHTERS IN PINELLAS, PASCO AND CITRUS’FILL-THE-BOOT’ FOR MDA

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., August 7, 2006 – Over 200 firefighters throughout the Tampa Bay area will be hitting the streets of Pinellas, Pasco, and Citrus counties during the month of August to ‘Fill-the-Boot’ for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Fill-the-boot is a national program where firefighters committed to servicing others, ask communities to fill their boots with donations to help staff MDA clinics, purchase equipment to aid weakened muscles, and pay for children to attend MDA Summer Camp. Most importantly, donations during this year’s statewide campaign will fund research to find a cure for these muscle wasting diseases.

This is the 52nd year of partnership between MDA and the International Association of Firefighters. In 1954, IAFF voted at their International Convention to stand “shoulder to shoulder” with MDA until “a cure is found.” In 2005, Florida firefighters raised over $2 million to benefit Florida residents served by MDA.

Firefighters will collect donations from passing pedestrians and motorists at various intersections throughout each county. Drivers are asked to keep their eyes open, play it safe
around our heroes, and support them by making donations to MDA.

MDA is a voluntary health agency working to defeat more than 40 neuromuscular diseases through programs of worldwide research, comprehensive services, and far-reaching professional and public health education. To learn more about the MDA/IAFF partnership, visit

www.iaff.org or www.mdausa.org. For more information please contact Crystal King, Program Coordinator for MDA, at (727) 577-1700.