Firefighters raise money to buy medic bags for unit

A firefighter received a plaque for his work.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- When Pittsburgh firefighter Stephen Grenesko heard that his younger brother's unit serving in Iraq did not have medic bags, he decided to do something about it.
He went to his firefighters union, International Association of Fire Fighters Union Local 1 in Pittsburgh, and asked for help. They raised $2,350.
Grenesko contacted the New Castle National Guard Armory, where his brother was deployed with the 1st Battalion, 107th Field Artillery, to find out their need, and by mid-May he presented officials with six medic bags and an $855 check.
"I was overwhelmed when he contacted me," said 1st Sgt. Michael Miller.
Miller and others from the Pennsylvania National Guard presented Grenesko with a plaque and thanks for his work on Friday.
Miller said the money was given to the family support group that aids soldiers' loved ones remaining in the United States.
Tina Miller, president of the local family support group, said the money was used for activities designed to keep family members busy while loved ones are away or buy supplies such as snacks and toiletry items to send to the troops.
Numbers
The 1st Battalion, 107th Field Artillery, now has 388 soldiers from eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania serving in Iraq, said Maj. Grey Berrier II, executive administrative officer with the Pennsylvania National Guard.
The reservists were deployed in February from Fort Dix, N.J., to act as military police in Iraq. The group is currently divided into three units, one serving in Mosul, another in Baghdad and another on the border of Kuwait, he said.
Berrier said they were not sent with full medic bags because of their assignment as a military police unit, although the unit did contain several emergency medical technicians from Noga Ambulance in New Castle who serve as the unit's medics.
The medic bags bought with Grenesko's donation arrived in Iraq in mid-June and since then the medics have been outfitted with more extensive military issue medic bags, Miller said.
Grenesko said his reasons for helping were somewhat selfish.
"The only thing I wanted to do was help my little brother out. I didn't expect any thanks," he said.
Eric Grenesko, home on a two-week leave, said he was happy with his brother's contribution. Eric said he is working as military police officer at the Mosul Detention Center, where they guard anywhere from 14 to 80 detainees a week. He returns to Iraq on Wednesday.
Also present to thank Grenesko were state Sen. Robert Robbins of Greenville, R-50th, and representatives for U.S. Rep. Melissa Hart of Bradford Woods, R-4th, and state Sen. Jane Orie of Pittsburgh, R-40th.
"There is nobody more important than the medic, and the comfort level that [having a well-equipped medic] provides to the unit can't be measured in dollars," Robbins said.
cioffi@vindy.com