Area firefighters came together recently to host a fundraiser for their families who are facing life-threatening illnesses.

Albuquerque fighters from IAFF Local 244 held its 4th annual Fire Muster at Civic Plaza. The event included food trucks, face painting and other activities, all meant to raise funds and bond with the community.

“It’s all part of a push to build bonds between the community and fire stations,” union president Miguel Tittmann told KRQE. “We have a trust in our community. We covet that; we value that, and part of what we want to do is give back to the community and make sure that they feel like we appreciate them and get them involved in what we are doing, let them know what we do. A lot of people in our community don’t necessarily know, so we educate, and we want to come out here and do fun things together.”

According to the union’s website, the Local 244 Survivors Fund supports firefighters that have been faced with life-altering medical challenges. “Whether it is our own Firefighters facing hardship from the course of the job, or their spouses or children, we are able to assist with the monetary hardships that come with a life-threatening illness and/or diagnosis,” the website said.

Organizers at the fundraiser put on a combat challenge for firefighters to show off just how good their skills are. The combat challenge was won by Albuquerque Fire Rescue. A firefighter from the Santa Fe City Firefighting Department won the individual challenge.