Longview firefighters win fundraising bet

Firefighters from Longview and Tyler, along with representatives from the Muscular Dystrophy Association chat Tuesday. A friendly wager between the two departments over who could raise the most money for MDA resulted in the Tyler firefighters having to wash one of Longview’s firetrucks.

To help raise funds and awareness for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the Longview and Tyler fire departments agreed to spend a weekend in August raising money in their cities. The losing department would wash a firetruck of the winner.

The Longview Fire Department defeated its Tyler counterpart by bringing in more than $26,400, more than $6,000 above the Tyler department’s $20,100, according to the MDA. Each department broke its own fundraising records in the challenge, raising a total of $46,500.

Tyler Fire Investigator Tony Gumber and a small group of Tyler firefighters drove to Longview on Tuesday to pay off their debt. About 10 Tyler firefighters used brushes and hoses to scrub a Longview firetruck as a group of Longview firefighters cheered them on. The Tyler firefighters sprayed the Longview group at least once.

“We can make a good day out of anything,” Gumber said.
By Randy Ross in The Longview News-Journal