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Local firefighters trade heavy gear for superhero capes

Local firefighters teamed up to spend the day with campers from the Muscular Dystrophy Assocation.

BURTON, Texas—Many kids look forward to spending their summer away at camp.

And, in Burton, there’s Camp for All. It’s a barrier-free wonderland that allows kids with special needs to enjoy in all the summer fun.

On Monday, local firefighters traded their heavy gear for superhero capes.

The Bryan Fire Department teamed up with the College Station Fire Department and other firefighters from across the area to spend the day with kids attending Camp for All with the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

And, show them what it really means to blast through barriers.

“This is the best time of the year for us. We enjoy going to play with the kids,” said Matt Winkler with the College Station Fire Department.

“We show they our gear, and sometimes they get to spray us with water,” laughed Winkler.

Under the International Firefighters Association, Bryan and College Station firefighters step-up every year to help raise money through events like Fill the Boot campaign, so kids can attend Camp for All with the MDA.

Two of those campers are siblings from Snook and local MDA Ambassadors.

Dontaveon and Jasslien Pool are helping educate others about Muscular Dystrophy.

“It’s a very hard thing to go through every day,” said Dontaveon.

Other campers got a chance to learn all about what their local heroes do every day.

It’s also a way for firefighters to give back.

“To see the smiles on these kids’ faces, it’s classic,” said Bryan firefighter, James Stewart.

“I mean that’s why we’re out here to make their day better,” he added.

Camp for All Director Kurt Podeszwa said the firefighters make a significant impact on the campers.

“It builds up the campers and they get a sense that these are people who want to interact with us, and want to come out here and help us,” he said.

Bryan Firefighters also brought hundreds of games they collected during the Bryan Firefighters Association game drive.

This year, the MDA sent 92 children to Camp for All and said the cost of camp is about $2,000 per camper.

A lot of those funds are raised through efforts of local firefighters.

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