Members of the Seattle Fire Fighters Union, Local 27 along with the Muscular Dystrophy Association, will celebrate their 60-year partnership and kick off the fire fighters' annual Fill the Boot fundraising campaign to benefit children and adults affected by muscle disease throughout the Seattle area.

Almost 1,000 members of the Seattle Fire Fighters Union, Local 27 will fan out across the city with boots in hand for this year’s drive on September 18th & 19th. Core hours for the event will be from 1 PM to 6 PM, at various intersections around the city.

There will be a media kick-off at 9AM on September 18th in front of the Ballard Fire Station at 1521 NW Market St.

“Throughout 2014 MDA and fire fighters are celebrating 60 years of proud partnership, joined together in the fight against life-threatening muscle disease”, said Director of Business Development, Whitney McIlwain. “Fire fighters in the Seattle area do more for MDA and the families we serve than any other group, dedicating countless hours of their time every year participating in Fill the Boot drives and at MDA Summer Camp. We're grateful for the support of these inspiring, selfless individuals who have made a profound impact on our families’ health, wellbeing and quality of life, and we're excited to make this year’s Seattle Fill the Boot campaign the most successful yet.”

Funds raised through 2014 Western Washington 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 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.