A 12-year-old Shriners Children's patient from Kentucky named Dalton got the star treatment from Greenville firefighters during his family's treatment trip, with a VIP tour of a city fire station. The gesture came together after a small volunteer fire department back in Dalton's hometown reached out to ask if Greenville's firefighters would show him around while his family was in town for care.
The request and the tour were detailed in a post from the City of Greenville
, which said its firefighters made a wish come true for the young patient. According to that post, Dalton's family had traveled to Greenville, South Carolina, so he could receive treatment, and it was the volunteer department in his own hometown that set the tour in motion by reaching out to Greenville City Fire Department directly.
The station visit connects to the reason so many families like Dalton's end up in Greenville in the first place. Shriners Children's Greenville was established in 1927 in response to the polio epidemic and today maintains the largest team of pediatric orthopedic surgeons in the Carolinas, according to Greenville Business Magazine.
Why an Out-of-State Family Landed in Greenville
Shriners Children's Greenville primarily serves a six-state region across the Southeast, but its reach extends far beyond that footprint. Southeast market administrator Bill Munley said its medical staff treated pediatric orthopedic patients from 43 states and 46 foreign countries and territories in 2024, which helps explain why a family from Kentucky would make the trip for specialized care.
The department that hosted Dalton is a sizable operation in its own right. Led by Fire Chief Brian Horton, the Greenville City Fire Department operates seven fire stations staffed by 159 full-time personnel, according to the City of Greenville. The department's own history adds context to the connection between it and the small Kentucky volunteer department that reached out. According to FEMA's National Fire Department Registry Quick Facts, 35% of active firefighting personnel were career firefighters, 52% were volunteer firefighters and 13% were paid per call firefighters.
A Softball Rivalry With a Bigger Purpose
Dalton's tour arrives as Greenville's firefighters gear up for a bigger community push tied to the same hospital. The Greenville Police Department will face off against GCFD in the annual Heroes Softball Game, scheduled for Sunday, August 30, at Fluor Field, with a fundraising goal of $10,000 for Shriners Children's Greenville. The annual game is intended to raise money for the hospital. FOX Carolina News reported on 8 Jul 2026 that the Greenville Police Department and Greenville City Fire Department were hosting a toy drive to benefit Shriners Children's Greenville.
The softball game will be part of First Responders Day festivities at Fluor Field, according to Minor League Baseball's coverage. Active first responders can also receive up to two complimentary tickets to the Greenville Drive game that precedes the softball showdown.
Fluor Field itself has become something of a hub for Greenville's public safety community events. The stadium, built in downtown Greenville in 2006, serves as the home field for the Greenville Drive, the High-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, and its outfield dimensions were designed to replicate Fenway Park. Greenville firefighters also climbed 110 stories there for the annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb, an event that drew over 800 participants across 50 teams and raised $58,633.52 for firefighter support organizations in 2024.
A Department Built for More Than Fire Calls
Beyond the station tour, GCFD serves the Greenville community in a range of ways. The department's broader work underscores how a station tour for one young visitor fits into its daily workload. The U.S. Fire Administration says community risk reduction programs teach residents about risks in their homes and communities through classes, home visits, presentations, handouts, articles and social media.
Children may begin care at Shriners Children's Greenville before age 18 regardless of a family's ability to pay, and its care covers 85 different orthopedic and neuromuscular conditions. The City of Greenville has asked the public to donate in support of the Heroes Softball Game's $10,000 fundraising goal ahead of the August 30 event at Fluor Field.
