EXETER — The Wyoming Area Kiwanis Club has launched a fund-raising campaign to purchase rifle-plated vests and personal first aid packs for the police, fire, and EMS units that service the communities of the Wyoming Area School District.
Kiwanis is an international organization of volunteers dedicated to “Improving the World One Child and One Community at A Time.” Following that motto, the club’s board of directors approved this program, knowing this equipment will improve response time and officer safety if an active shooter incident occurs in our schools or anywhere else in the communities. The club members see the cause as so worthy, they approved purchasing the first six vests from the club’s project account. With community donations from businesses and individuals, the club has purchased an additional nine vests.
The plan is to raise enough money to outfit each agency with two vests per vehicle. The club hopes to supply a minimum of two vests per school building for the school police department.
Once the police departments are supplied with vests, the club will continue the program for emergency medical units and fire departments that assist the medical units on emergency calls.
These vests are being purchased locally through H and H Tactical Gun Store in Exeter whose owners have worked out special pricing to assist the club in its project.
The police departments that serve the communities are Exeter Borough, Exeter Township, West Pittston, West Wyoming, Wyoming Police and the Wyoming Area School District Police.
The fire departments that serve the communities are Exeter Hose Co. #1, Harding Fire Department, Mt. Zion Fire Department, West Pittston Hose Co. #1, West Wyoming Hose Co. #1, Wyoming Hose Co. #1 and Wyoming Hose Co. #2.
The EMS units that serve the communities are Greater Pittston Regional Ambulance, Harding Mt. Zion Ambulance and Commonwealth Hospital Ambulance.
Anyone interested in assisting in this life-saving program may send a check or money order made payable to the Wyoming Area Kiwanis, 1078 Wyoming Ave., Box 445, Wyoming, Pa. 18644.
For further information, contact Mike Coolbaugh at 570-237-1080.
