In the annual First Responders Bell Ringing Challenge, the Tyler Fire Department officially claimed victory. “I credit that to organizations like the Salvation Army that find resources and places for them to go and have permanent housing,” Warren said. “It means a lot that they do this,” Salvation Army Capt. Johnston, whose father was a firefighter, initiated the competition to bring the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, Tyler Fire Department, Tyler Police Department, and UT Health East Texas EMS/Air 1 together for a common cause. The $7,687 raised during this year’s First Responders Challenge added to a milestone season for the Salvation Army of Tyler, which officially surpassed its $500,000 Red Kettle Campaign goal.