ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – Four Delta County organizations collaborated to fund uniform and equipment upgrades for the Escanaba Public Safety Department.
The Daniel J. Kobasic Foundation, The Edward J. Sackerson Charitable Foundation, Bink’s Coca-Cola, and the Delta County Chamber of Commerce combined efforts to donate $95,000. Escanaba Public Safety will use the money to purchase new uniforms and ballistic vests—one for each Escanaba Public Safety officer.
The warranties on the department’s current ballistic vests are set to expire in April. The new ballistic vests will be fully lined with Kevlar coverage on the sides, as well as the front and back, providing better protection for the officers.
Daniel J. Kobasic Foundation CFO Todd C. LaFave, who spearheaded the effort, said, “The Daniel J. Kobasic Foundation wanted to raise funds to assist the Escanaba Public Safety Department in acquiring new uniforms and ballistic vests for its officers. Due to recruitment challenges and competition for candidates, EPSD is currently two officers short of being fully staffed. The department’s dedicated current officers are working overtime to make sure that public safety is not put at risk by these challenges. Through the first four months of the fiscal year, EPSD had already spent nearly 75% of its annual overtime budget approved for the year.”
LaFave continued, “Because of this, the D.J. Kobasic Foundation, along with Bink’s Coca-Cola, the Edward J. Sackerson Foundation, and the Delta County Chamber of Commerce have chosen to show our appreciation of and support for Escanaba Public Safety Officers by providing a grant to purchase new uniforms and a ballistic vest for each officer. By providing each officer with two new sets of uniforms, we are showing them how much we value their service and professionalism and are helping give them a sense of pride with their sharp new look.”
Escanaba Public Safety Director Darren Smith said, “ I am grateful that leadership from the Kobasic Foundation reached out to our department to identify our current needs, which officer safety will always remain our department’s top priority.”
New advances in ballistic vest technology and design offer improved protection, increased comfort, and greater mobility for public safety officers. The designs will allow officers to redistribute equipment weight from their waist to the ballistic vests, reducing physical strain on officers throughout their shift. The new designs available will also offer a seamless transition from law enforcement duties to fire response, allowing officers to respond immediately to changing emergency needs without delay.
Escanaba Public Safety Officer Madison Draze agreed, “I’m excited about the new gear because the new ones have more Kevlar coverage than our current vests, and will give us more protection.”
“This investment would likely not have been possible without the generous support of these donors, which we are truly grateful for,” Smith added.
Christina Anderson Kobasic, a board member of The Edward J. Sackerson Charitable Foundation, described why the Foundation supported this effort, saying, “The Edward J. Sackerson Charitable Foundation is honored to support Escanaba Public Safety through this donation toward new safety vests and uniforms. Our local first responders face challenging and unpredictable situations every day to protect our community, and their safety truly matters to us. This gift is given with great appreciation and gratitude for their commitment and service they provide to all of us who call Escanaba home.”
