Midland Fire Department Wins Salvation Army Red Kettle Challenge for Third Straight Year

Local police departments came up short against the firefighters' fundraising efforts.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Midland Fire Department has won the Salvation Army's First Responder Red Kettle Challenge for the third consecutive year, raising over $2,300 for the organization's community services. The Midland ISD Police Department and Student Crime Stoppers, as well as the Midland Police Department, also participated in the friendly competition, but the firefighters came out on top once again.

Why it matters

The Salvation Army's Red Kettle Campaign is a major fundraiser that supports the organization's year-round social services, including food assistance, utility help, and shelter services. The First Responder Red Kettle Challenge helps drive donations and community engagement during the holiday season.

The details

Each year, the Salvation Army of Midland hosts the First Responder Red Kettle Challenge, a friendly competition for local law enforcement and first responders to raise money for the iconic red kettles. For the past three years, the Midland Fire Department has emerged victorious, raising nearly three times the amount of the other participating departments in 2025. The fire department received a trophy for winning the challenge, which will be displayed at the central fire station throughout the year.

  • The First Responder Red Kettle Challenge takes place annually during the holiday season.
  • The Midland Fire Department has won the challenge for the past three consecutive years.

The players

Midland Fire Department

The local fire department that has won the Salvation Army's First Responder Red Kettle Challenge for the past three years.

Midland ISD Police Department and Student Crime Stoppers

One of the local law enforcement agencies that participated in the Salvation Army's First Responder Red Kettle Challenge, but came up short against the Midland Fire Department.

Midland Police Department

Another local law enforcement agency that participated in the Salvation Army's First Responder Red Kettle Challenge, but was unable to beat the Midland Fire Department's fundraising efforts.

Mikell McLaughlin

The community relations and development coordinator for The Salvation Army of Midland.

Leslie Popham

A fire engineer for the Midland Fire Department.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We received this award for the Salvation Army's bell ringing for raising the most money between us, MPD and the youth crime stoppers. It feels pretty cool to beat the cops (again).”

— Leslie Popham, Fire engineer (mrt.com)

“Normally when we interact, it's during an emergency, so we'll see people on their worst days. It's kind of cool to see the community in everyday life, and not on their worst days or while have something bad happen.”

— Leslie Popham, Fire engineer (mrt.com)

“We'll see what happens this next Christmas season. Thank you to the fire department, police department and the MISD police and Student Crime Stoppers. We'll be gearing up again in a couple of months, and I'll be reaching out to different volunteers.”

— Mikell McLaughlin, Community relations and development coordinator (mrt.com)

What’s next

The First Responder Red Kettle Challenge will return this year during the holiday season, and the Midland Fire Department plans to defend its title against the local police departments.

The takeaway

The Midland Fire Department's three-year winning streak in the Salvation Army's First Responder Red Kettle Challenge highlights the department's commitment to community service and its ability to rally public support for a worthy cause. The friendly competition between first responders helps drive donations and engagement for the Salvation Army's vital social services.