Brookhaven firefighters will join a nationwide effort to raisefunds for the Muscular Dystrophy Association this month bycollecting on three consecutive Fridays in front of Wal-Mart.

Funds raised by Brookhaven firefighters Aug. 12, Aug. 19 andAug. 26 will be used in statewide efforts to provide services forpatients with neuromuscular disease.

The funds will be used for MDA clinic visits at the Universityof Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson and the Gulf CoastNeurology Center in Ocean Springs as well as for hosting supportgroup sessions and assisting with the purchase of medicalequipment. The effort will also help support the area MDA summercamp at Camp Wesley Pines in Gallman.

Brookhaven Fire Chief Bob Watts said departments have beenassisting MDA for many years. Local firefighters have not set afund-raising goal, he said but instead have devised a different wayto motivate themselves for the cause.

“There is a competition between the three shifts,” he said.

A different crew will man the store’s doors on each Friday.Shift Three will collect donations this Friday followed by ShiftOne on Aug. 19 and Shift Two on Aug. 26.

The fire trucks will also be on site in the event of anemergency call, Watts said.

“Those guys will be ready to roll,” he said. “They stay on thego all the time with training, so it’s not unusual for the stationto be empty or lightly staffed.”

However, Watts said, if they have to respond to calls they willnot be at the store to collect donations. Firefighters will returnto the store once the call is complete.

Across the nation, firefighters have teamed up with MDA for morethan 50 years.