Cincinnati, OH)—When country superstars Jason Aldean, Keith Urban and Sam Hunt took the stage for the August Country Music Fest at the historic Voices of America Park, thousands descended upon Northern Cincinnati. Both concert attendees and first responders felt at ease. Officers on duty could be seen up to a mile away when wearing their Lit LED vests. Whether directing traffic or engaging in crowd control, the officers felt safe. So did those at the concert who followed the glow to seek help when needed.
Then, a few weeks later, Cincinnati hosted the world’s top-seeded tennis players at The Cincinnati Open. The packed stadium had no problems with tennis enthusiasts leaving the venue. Everyone directing traffic wore the Lit LED glowing vest. There were no reported incidents.
Recently-retired West Chester Police Chief Joel Herzog initially purchased 50 vests for traffic control and then another 50 prior to his retirement so that every West Chester officer could have access to a vest.
“It’s an absolute game-changer for officers” Herzog says of the vests.
“Last year at the first country music festival a woman asked me for help with a medical emergency,” Herzog recalls. “I alerted the elevated command post and we found the person in need. My officers turned on their vests and it was like parting the sea. Everyone cleared a path for first responders to assist with the emergency. I realized then that every nighttime event in America should have this capability for law enforcement to be seen.”
The patented vest is the brainchild of police officer Don Campbell. He was deeply moved by the needless death of an officer in another Cincinnati jurisdiction. Officer Dale Woods was simply directing traffic at a crash site when he was struck by a pickup truck. The driver could not see Woods until it was too late.
Officer Campbell vowed that no other first responder would perish because of darkness. He realized that the standard-issue vests do not show the face of the officer and the color blends into the glow of their cruisers and street lamps. So Campbell got to work tinkering in his basement until he designed the Lit Safety Vest. It has LED lights that glow from the inside through pores in the vest. The green glow illuminates the wearer’s face and surrounding area. The level of light can be easily adjusted.
One of the first events that showed the significance of Cincinnati being lit was at the downtown Cincinnati Taylor Swift concert. Hamilton County Sheriff’s deputies donned the vests to assist “Swifties” attending the concert. With so many from out of town, they sought out lit deputies for directions, medical assistance and navigation through busy streets.
“We need to get more first responders lit in these vests for events and traffic scenes across the U.S.,” says Herzog. “We have a duty to protect first responders and ensure they get home safely to their families.”
First responders in 15 states now use the patented Lit LED Safety Vest. Crossing guards, forensic investigators and security workers have also started using the vest during their night shifts.
“With fall and winter coming, darkness is appearing earlier,” says Campbell. “Now is the time to figure how to best protect those who work night events, direct traffic and secure accident scenes.”
His goal is to ensure that America lights up like Cincinnati has done.
For additional information on the Lit Safety Vest visit www.bestdamnvest.com or bestdamnvest on Facebook and TikTok
CONTACT: Laura Kroeger
(513) 236-7864
