IRON SEAN Mt. Lebanon Fire Department’s Lt. Sean Daniels is running an Ironman triathlon (swimming, biking, running) in Cambridge, Maryland, on October 1 to raise money for The Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance (FBHA). The Alliance provides firefighters and emergency medical service personnel with strategies to deal with the stress from crises they must handle on the job. The goal is to prevent first responder suicides. Daniels was personally affected by suicide after his cousin took his own life. The race consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike portion followed by a full 26.2-mile marathon.
TIPS FOR COPS The Mt. Lebanon Police Department will participate in the Red Robin Tip-a-Cop program, to raise money for the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics on Saturday, October 22. Officers will greet people at the restaurant, at South Hills Village, and guests will be able to donate to Special Olympics. The officers will be there for lunch from 11 to 3 and dinner from 4 to 8. The department often supports Special Olympics, and has already committed to doing the Polar Plunge December 10 at Heinz Field.
(OTHER) TIPS FOR COPS The Mt. Lebanon police department has two ways you can send in crime tips anonymously: by using the Tip411 app or by texting. The third party software removes all your personal identifying info so the police will not know who you are.
Search for the app by typing in “MLPDTIPS” in the App Store on your Apple phone or in Google Play on your Android phone. Download the app and follow the simple instructions. You can even attach a photo to give officers more information to work with.
To text, open your text messenger and type in 847411 in the “To” box. You must start the body of text with the letters MLPDTIPS (and then hit the spacebar) before beginning your message. This will route it to the Mt. Lebanon police. When you hit send, you will get a confirmation text from the department. If you did not receive confirmation, the text did not go through.
No matter which method you choose, an officer may message you back for more information, but again, he does not know who you are or have any of your identifying information.
Please do not use either method for reporting crimes in progress. Only use 911 for that. For a demonstration on how to use the app and text feature, click here. [1]
SAFE CHURCHES The police department is joining with Training Force USA to present a seminar titled “Safety and Security for Places of Worship: Protecting Your Place of Worship in an Uncertain World,” on Friday, October 14, at St. Bernard Church, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The cost is $133 per person, including a catered lunch. Leaders from all houses of worship are welcome.
Participants will learn the need for safety and security in the ministry. The curriculum will cover intimate partner violence, domestic violence and workplace violence. Instructors will discuss safety and security policies and child protection plans. Insurance, legal liability, and emergency preparedness also is on the docket. They will discuss various incidents, how to handle them and how to work with the media, among other topics. To register or get more information, go to: www.regonline.com/worshipsecurity-MtLebanonPA-101416 [2]
LOOK UP, LEBO Distracted driving can be deadly. In 2014, 3,179 people were killed and 431,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers. One of the most dangerous things you can do is text and drive, because texting requires your eyes, your hands and your brain, taking valuable resources away from your ability to drive safely. It’s also illegal. So drive now; text later.