Hat firefighters getting ready for another Rooftop Campout

By KENDALL KING on March 8, 2023.

2022 Rooftop Campout participants Vaughn Row and Luke Oegema were all smiles as they prepared to camp high atop Medicine Hat's Fire Station No. 2.--SUBMITTED PHOTO

Medicine Hat firefighters will be braving the elements on and off the ground during their upcoming Rooftop Campout fundraiser in support of Muscular Dystrophy Canada.

Taking place this year from March 24-26, the annual event brings firefighters from across the city together to Station

No. 2 for a weekend full of fundraising activities.

“We have two firefighters who are going to be going up and spending the weekend camping on the roof of the station,” Dylan Gustafson, senior firefighter and charity and fundraising coordinator for the local firefighters association, told the News. “Then, we’ll have ground crews with boots encouraging motorists to pull in and donate.”

All proceeds from the event will be going toward Muscular Dystrophy Canada, an organization local firefighters have long supported, raising more than $355,000 since 1971.

“It’s a great cause,” said Gustafson. “There’s over

50,000 Canadians that are affected by neuromuscular disorders that fall under the MD umbrella. And there’s about 160-plus of these disorders — most of them genetic disorders — where there’s no cure for them.

“The firefighters have always historically partnered with Muscular Dystrophy Canada. (But it’s also) a cause that’s been close to our hearts, as we host this event in memory of our friend Michael James Page, who passed away from Duchanne Muscular Dystrophy back in 2013.”

Gustafson says this year local firefighters hope to raise $12,000 in Page’s name, and welcome the community in supporting their goal.

“We rely on the generosity of our community and the community always steps up,” said Gustafson. “Even through the challenges with the

COVID pandemic, we really didn’t see a huge hit in our fundraising, especially for this event. Everybody came out and made sure that they were donating and it’s just really important to our department, our firefighters association, and the city as well to have that support network.”

Gustafson believes the two probationary firefighters who will be camped out on the roof of Station No. 2 will be particularly thankful for the community’s support as they brave whatever weather the month of March has in store for them.

“Our firefighters who will be camping on the roof of the station are Brandon Debler and Dylan Gejdos,” said Gustafson.

“They are both born and raised here in Medicine Hat — local boys; they’re brand new, still under a year into their job here, and they’re really excited to get up there.

“They’ve already been raising money online with our virtual #FillTheBoot campaign, and they’re kind of having a friendly competition to see who can raise more money online ahead of the event.”

Gustafson invites community members to show their support for Debler and Gejdos ahead of the Rooftop

Campout by making a donation online at filltheboot.ca, or for those able, to make an in-person visit to Station No. 2 on Trans-Canada Way on during the event, being mindful of on-duty fire crews.