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Marty Goin hands donated water to Fort Worth Firefighter\/EMT Elfidio Qui\u00f1\u00f3nez as the Fort Worth Police Department South Division hosts a supply drive in Fort Worth, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. The department collected donations to support the firefighters working to battle the Ross fire.<\/p>\n
Juan Figueroa\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n
FORT WORTH \u2014\u00a0Marty Goin pulled up to a southwest Fort Worth<\/a> Walmart on Saturday with about 10 cases of water for firefighters<\/a> battling the Ross fire.<\/a><\/p>\n For Goin, the fire is personal.<\/p>\n He spent years in Scouting and later served about a decade as a Scoutmaster, developing a lasting connection to Worth Ranch<\/a>, the historic Scout camp damaged when the wildfire swept through Palo Pinto County<\/a>.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cIt just broke my heart to see what was happening to the ranch,\u201d Goin said. \u201cIt just kind of brought tears to my eyes to see the old buildings burned down.\u201d<\/p>\n Goin was among North Texans who brought water, electrolyte drinks, snacks and other supplies Saturday to a donation drive organized by the Fort Worth Police Department for firefighters working the massive blaze west of the city.<\/p>\n Related: Firefighters continue battling Ross fire after blaze scorches 85,000 acres<\/a><\/p>\n As of Saturday, the Ross fire had burned an estimated 85,000 acres and was 31% contained. The fire began Monday in Palo Pinto County before spreading into Jack County. Hundreds of firefighters and volunteers have joined the response.<\/p>\n A plane drops water on a plume of flame from Ross fire spreading across the ridge, on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026 in Palo Pinto County.<\/p>\n Shafkat Anowar\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n Fire departments from communities across Texas<\/a> have sent personnel and equipment to reinforce local and volunteer crews.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The Fort Worth Police Department\u2019s Crime Prevention unit held Saturday\u2019s collection from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside the Walmart at 7451 McCart Ave., near Sycamore School Road.<\/p>\n The donations were to be delivered to the Jermyn Volunteer Fire Department in Jack County, where the supplies would be available to departments helping fight the Ross fire.<\/p>\n Fort Worth police Officer and public information officer Brad Perez said officers on the city\u2019s west side came up with the idea of collecting supplies for crews working the fire.<\/p>\n \u201cWe all are neighbors with each other,\u201d Perez said. \u201cIf somebody\u2019s in trouble, then we want to show the Fort Worth way. We\u2019re here to help them.\u201d<\/p>\n Fort Worth Police PIO Brad Perez carries donated water out of the back of Francisco Arauz\u2019s car as the FWPD South Division hosts a supply drive in Fort Worth, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. The department collected donations to support the firefighters working to battle the Ross fire.<\/p>\n Juan Figueroa\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n Besides drinks, residents arrived with cooling towels, sunscreen, lip balm, wipes, gloves, protein bars, trail mix and other supplies firefighters could use during long shifts.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Perez said what had been collected early Saturday was only a small portion of what officers expected to receive during the four-hour drive.<\/p>\n He said the effort reflected a bond among first responders that overrides the friendly rivalry between police officers and firefighters.<\/p>\n \u201cWe may have fun poking fun at each other and all that,\u201d Perez said. \u201cBut when it comes down to getting to work or helping each other, there\u2019s no holding back.\u201d<\/p>\n Related: What is Texas A&M Forest Service? The agency does more than fight wildfires<\/a><\/p>\n The drive attracted donors from outside Fort Worth.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Trivania Larkins and her mother, Fatima, drove from the North Dallas area with four cases of water, wipes, trail mix, hard candy and other snacks.<\/p>\n They said they followed the department\u2019s requested-items list while shopping and focused on food and supplies firefighters could easily carry and use in the field.<\/p>\n Community members drop off donations as the Fort Worth Police Department South Division hosts a supply drive in Fort Worth, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. The department collected donations to support the firefighters working to battle the Ross fire.<\/p>\n Juan Figueroa\/The Dallas Morning News Fort Worth Firefighter\/EMT Elfidio Qui\u00f1\u00f3nez carries donated water as the Fort Worth Police Department South Division hosts a supply drive in Fort Worth, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. The department collected donations to support the firefighters working to battle the Ross fire.<\/p>\n Juan Figueroa\/The Dallas Morning News Fort Worth Police PIO Brad Perez shakes hands with Francisco Arauz of Fort Worth after Arauz dropped off donations as the FWPD South Division hosts a supply drive in Fort Worth, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. The department collected donations to support the firefighters working to battle the Ross fire.<\/p>\n Juan Figueroa\/The Dallas Morning News Fort Worth Police officer Bittinger carries water donated by Bill and Brenda Piganelli of Crowley with the BISD\/Burleson Fire Department Fire Academy as the Fort Worth Police Department South Division hosts a supply drive in Fort Worth, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. The department collected donations to support the firefighters working to battle the Ross fire.<\/p>\n Juan Figueroa\/The Dallas Morning News Community members drop off donations as the Fort Worth Police Department South Division hosts a supply drive in Fort Worth, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. The department collected donations to support the firefighters working to battle the Ross fire.<\/p>\n Juan Figueroa\/The Dallas Morning News Fort Worth Police officer Bittinger carries water donated by Bill and Brenda Piganelli of Crowley with the BISD\/Burleson Fire Department Fire Academy as the Fort Worth Police Department South Division hosts a supply drive in Fort Worth, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. The department collected donations to support the firefighters working to battle the Ross fire.<\/p>\n Juan Figueroa\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not much, but I hope that at least it\u2019ll kind of help replenish them a little bit,\u201d Trivania said.<\/p>\n She was especially moved that volunteer firefighters were working the fire without pay.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cMy prayer goes out to all of them,\u201d she said. \u201cI just want them all to make it home safe.\u201d<\/p>\n Trivania said she appreciated firefighters leaving their families and communities to help people threatened by the wildfire.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re away from their families, volunteering to come and do something that\u2019s on their heart to do,\u201d she said. \u201cI appreciate them for what they\u2019re doing.\u201d<\/p>\n Another donor understood the work firsthand.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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