Shoals VFD (NC) Hosts Honor Walk for West, Texas Responders Killed in Explosion

Chris Gillett, quoted below in the story, informed me he is a few hundred dollars short of his goal. You can contact him on his Facebook Profile (Firefighter Chaplain) to donate. He is also trying to get a tshirt order together for the event. 

Honor walk set for West, Texas, responders killed in explosion
PilotMountainNews.com
by Wendy Byerly Wood

PINNACLE — Of the 14 people killed in the April 17 explosion at a West, Texas, fertilizer plant, 11 of those were firefighters and first responders. And a local group of firefighters will be spending May 25 walking in honor of those who lost their lives protecting their community.

Members of Shoals Volunteer Fire Department, as well as other members of the emergency response community, will host a five-mile honor walk to raise money and awareness for those fallen firefighters and EMS personnel who were killed in the explosion, many of whom were fighting the initial fire that started prior to the blast.

“The tragedy in Texas kind of got swallowed up by the Boston bombing,” said Lt. Chris Gillett of Shoals VFD. “I wanted to do something to raise money for the firefighters’ families who were killed as well as raise awareness.”

The honor walk, set to begin at 10 a.m. at Pilot Knob Volunteer Fire Department on Key Street/N.C. 268, with those participating wearing full turnout gear. “Most people can do it, it’s just under 6 miles, and we’re doing it in full turnout gear. They sacrificed, and it’s going to be a sacrifice to do that (in full gear),” Gillett said. “There is even a soldier who was wounded in Afghanistan driving up from Fort Bragg to walk in full military gear.”

Read more: The Pilot – Honor walk set for West Texas responders killed in explosion