While medical costs are piling up for the two Maxton firefighters injured last week when their truck overturned, one of whom may be paralyzed from the waist down, local firemen are looking for ways to help.

Quintin Thompson, 18, of Red Hill Road, Maxton, was paralyzed from the waist down in the accident and is currently at UNC Hospitals while Ronald McDaniel, 19, of Patterson Street, Maxton, suffered minor injuries and is recovering at Scotland Memorial Hospital.

The Robeson County Firefighter's Association is working holding a boot drive to raise money for the firefighters and their families, according to Sam Butler, the groups president.

Firemen dress in full gear will be at several participating locations on Sunday with fire trucks and photos in hopes people will drop money into one of several firefighter boots.

The boot drives will be held at the Pembroke and Lumberton Wal-Mart stores on Saturday from 9 to 5 p.m. and other locations may decide to participate, according to Butler.

Shawn Phillips, the fire chief of the Queheel Volunteer Fire Department, said that Thompson underwent surgery on Monday. McDaniel is suffering from a crushed right foot. Both are still in the hospital and their conditions are improving, Phillips said.

Doctors have not said if Thompson’s paralysis is permanent.

“I have been calling and checking on them,” Phillips said. “All I’m worried about is them.”

According to Phillips, Thompson has been with the department for two years and McDaniel for a year and a half.

Thompson is a reservist with the U.S. Marines and McDaniel is a senior at Purnell Swett High School.

“Both of them have been a tremendous asset to the fire department,” Phillips said. “Both of them are level-headed firemen.”

The vehicle, which was worth about $200,000, was destroyed. Phillips said he is working on a claim with the insurance company.

Butler said this kind of incident is rare for Robeson County fire departments.

"We have been lucky," Butler said. "We haven't had anyone injured on a fire truck in route... in 10 to 15 years."

The two firemen were injured when the Queheel Volunteer Fire Department tanker truck wrecked on N.C. 130 ran off the right side of the road and the driver overcorrected, causing the vehicle rolled one and half times, coming to rest on the driver’s side, trapping McDaniel and Thompson inside.

The structure fire the two were responding to was at a homeowner’s garage on N.C. 130 and several cars were also in flames, according to Phillips. Maxton Southeastern Rural Volunteer Fire Department, Evan’s Crossroads Volunteer Fire Department, and the Stewartsville Fire Department were dispatched to the fire. The garage was a total loss, according to Phillips.

The Queheel Volunteer Fire Department serves the Maxton area and currently has 26 volunteers.

The Robesonian contributed to this report.