6 days ago
Communities in and around U.S. Steel Clairton plant donating supplies to first responders
After Monday's deadly explosions at the U.S. Steel Clairton plant, many people in the communities in and around the coke plant sought to help. They wanted to see what they could give to the first responders who spent many long hours on the scene.
At Southeast Regional EMS, they've received many donations over the past 24 hours. The ambush of aid has been unbelievable.
"Just the way the community has responded has been amazing," Chief Jonathan Madaras said.
Madaras said people started calling and messaging Southeast Regional EMS, asking about how they could help.
"We put a Facebook message together to kind of coordinate the efforts," he said.
What he and his crew didn't expect was the barrage of food and snacks coming their way.
"It really just blew up," Madaras said. "We probably easily collected over 1,000 cases of water."
They realized they needed to spread the love to other first responders in surrounding towns that sought to aid after Monday's explosions.
They gave extra supplies to other departments, including Elizabeth Borough, Elizabeth Township, Clairton, Jefferson Hills Fire Rescue, and Glassport.
KDKA-TV was told that Southeast Regional also gave supplies to the U.S. Steel Plant Protection.
"We really wanted to make sure that everybody was taken care of," Madaras said.
Madaras says they've been talking to food banks, too.
"Some of the perishable items, we're probably going to donate out," he said.
Southeast Regional EMS says it has gotten more than enough donations over the past 24 hours. It does not mean it will not stop taking them, but it's pretty swamped with what they have already received.
