New vests purchased for McKeesport first responders

By JEFF STITT

jstitt@yourmvi.com

First responders gathered Sunday at McKeesport High School to celebrate a large fundraising accomplishment. 

Through the McKeesport Public Safety Initiative, managed by McKeesport International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 10 with help from McKeesport Area school board President Joe Lopretto, the firefighters raised around $40,000 for the Public Safety Initiative this year.

The money was used to purchase 40 bulletproof vests, most of which will be worn by city police officers. 

However, some vests that are a brownish-green color with yellow letters reading “FIRE” and some that are blue and white and read “EMS” were also purchased. They are being kept in city fire rigs and ambulances in case they are needed in an extreme emergency situation, such as a large active shooter situation.

City firefighters, police and crew members from McKeesport Ambulance Rescue Service were joined Sunday by representatives from the school district and the city, as well as representatives from some of the businesses and organizations that made a donation large enough to cover the cost of at least one vest. The top donor, according to the fire department, was the McKeesport Hospital Foundation, which gave $8,500.

The rest of the money was collected via donations from local businesses, corporations and individuals and through fundraisers such as raffle ticket sales and the sale of T-shirts designed and printed by firefighter Matt Holtzman, who owns McKeesport-based Shogun Graphix.

Everyone who attended got a chance to check out the vests, and first responders were able to thank those who helped make the initiative possible.

Lopretto, who has been working with firefighters for several years to keep the McKeesport Public Safety Initiative well funded and talked about in the community, said he’s proud and grateful to donors and those who bought tickets and T-shirts.

He said firefighters approached him and said, “Let’s buy a couple vests,” to which he replied “No, we’re not going to buy a couple. We’re going to buy a lot.”

“That’s exactly what we did. I just started hitting up local people that I know and hitting up local businesses,” said Lopretto, a retired city police officer. “I’m feeling awesome that we could do this. These are my brothers. I take pride in this. I really do.”

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