Nearly $20K Raised In Support Of Injured West Chester Firefighter

WEST CHESTER, PA — The community is rallying in a big way behind a West Chester man who was severely injured fighting a fire in Delaware last week.

As of Monday afternoon, $18,927 had been raised to support Dave Smiley Jr., a volunteer fire captain with Minquas Fire Company out of New Castle County, Delaware.

Smiley, 24, suffered second and third degree burns on about 10 percent of his body, including his ankles, hands, neck, ears, stomach, and back.

>>West Chester Native, Firefighter Severely Injured In Del. Blaze

The funds will go towards supporting his ongoing medical and living expenses, as it's not known how long the first responder will be out of work.

Smiley was initially on a ventilator, but was slowly weaned off of it. The first of many surgeries is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, according to his family.

To learn more about the campaign, see the GoFundMe page here.