Lubbock Professional Firefighters Association is keeping LISD students warm this winter

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - As winter weather approaches, the Lubbock Professional Firefighter’s Association is working to make sure students with Lubbock ISD stay warm. The Lubbock Professional Firefighters Association started the annual coats for kids drive for Lubbock ISD 11 years ago with just a few donations.

“It was slim pickens back then kinda small, the first two years were donations just by firefighters,” Captain Chris Kemp with Lubbock Fire Rescue said.

When the volunteers saw the smiles on the kids’ faces, and heard the stories, they couldn’t stop.

“When we went it was freezing - it was 32 degrees, and I saw kids walking to school in t-shirts, it broke my heart so I said we need to keep this going,” Kemp said.

Kemp said he saw the need across the district and started bigger fundraisers, to give coats to even more campuses.

“Its such a blessing receive something that they might not ever get,” LISD Community Relations Phyllis Underwood said.

But it is not just about a coat, Kemp said, “they get to choose what color they want, they open up the package they know its brand new and get to try it on and take it home.”

Not only do they try on a coat to get the best fit, it is personalized just for them.

“When he got to the room he asked the teacher more than once ‘is this mine’ and that’s the reason they write their name on the coat,” Underwood said.

Kemp says he plans to keep coats for kids going for years to come and hopes to give even more next year.

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