Firefighters top nation in charity drive

Fairfax County firefighters and paramedics narrowly edged out their competition in Houston to top the nation in a muscular-dystrophy fundraiser, officials say, raising more than half a million dollars for the cause in four days.

The county broke through its goal of $375,000 to collect $536,026 over Labor Day weekend for the Muscular Dystrophy Association as part of the annual Fill the Boot campaign, a joint venture between the Fire and Rescue Department and its union. Fairfax also outpaced its Texas rival in the charity.