With October now here, Breast Cancer Awareness month is underway and the San Marcos Fire Department is taking part in the cause.
Fire Chief Les Stephens said the department has decided to ramp up its efforts to raise money and awareness during Breast Cancer Awareness month. The department has had 12 pink SMFD patches made that will be worn throughout October and will be sold at $100 each at an auction, Stephens said. The funds raised will be donated to an organization selected by Assistant City Manager Stephanie Reyes — a recent breast cancer survivor.
“I think at this point everyone has had cancer touch their life or their loved one’s life directly,” Stephens said. “I think anything we can do, whether it’s breast cancer or any other type of cancer, anything that we can do to raise awareness, free attention to it and possibly raise money for additional research, or care, or support of those people battling cancer is something we absolutely want to be a part of here in our community.”
Alongside the pink patches, the department has ordered pink badges for the rest of its administration staff, and has also purchased pink shirts and pink collar brass, which will be worn throughout October. Stephens said the “pinked-out” uniforms will be worn by himself, Assistant Chief Rick Rowell, Assistant Chief Karl Kuhlman, Assistant Chief/Fire Marshal Kelly Kistner and Training Battalion Chief John Koenig.
Stephens added that the “pinked-out” idea came from the Tyler Fire Department, which sold pink shirts for its firefighters and staff to wear to support those fighting breast cancer.
“They made up some pink T-shirts and sold them to wear on duty and then donated the proceeds from that,” Stephens said. “A lot of different fire departments around the state have participated in that and they design different shirts each year and sell them and donate the proceeds. And we’ve done that.”
The San Marcos Fire Department has usually helped out with Pink Heals Hays County, which has donated over $107,000 to assist families in their battle against cancer since 2012. The fire department has previously hosted the Pink Heals 5K at Fire Station #5. Stephens said COVID-19 has limited what the department is able to do to spread additional awareness to the cause.
“COVID’s kind of got us in a box on some other fronts and there’s not much else we can do,” Stephens said. “But, as I mentioned, we plan, at the end of the month, we’re going to sell the patches. And, we’re hoping to raise $100 for each patch.”
