At Monday's rally in support of former President Donald Trump at the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex, state Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman, R-Indiana, said it was "a historic moment for Indiana County, regardless of your party affiliation," calling it "a moment that will live on for generations." It was the first time Indiana County had hosted a presidential candidate since John F. Kennedy visited in 1960 -- and it was under the shadow of a tragedy the last time Trump was in the region, on July 13 in Butler County.
Indeed, as Indiana County District Attorney Robert F. Manzi Jr. said in a statement issued Tuesday, "the event drew thousands from across our county and the commonwealth.
" And, as he also pointed out, "even before there was a public announcement that former President Donald Trump would stop in our county, many people across our county, state and country began the monumental task of preparing to host a safe event." On Tuesday, Manzi felt compelled to "take a moment to publicly thank all of those who were a part of the efforts to host a safe event that those who chose to attend could enjoy," saying so many people were involved "that I couldn’t even begin to thank them all individually." However, Manzi certainly tried: "First, I want to thank each and every member of our local, state and federal law enforcement, emergency medical services, 911 dispatch, and emergency response teams.
These men and women spent countless hours working together to create and execute a plan that would allow thousands of spectators, protesters, media and community members to participate in this historic event." And there were quite a few agencies involved, in a list that rivaled what often has happened when events such as homecoming takes place on the adjacent Indiana University of Pennsylvania campus. "Our federal partners, including the Secret Service and FBI, our local partners, including the Pennsylvania State Police, Indiana Borough Police, Blairsville Borough Police, Homer City Police, IUP Police, Indiana County Sheriff’s Office, Indiana County Detective’s Bureau, and Indiana County Emergency Management worked together to address the thousands of needs to ensure our safety," Manzi said.
"I felt very safe at the event knowing these men and women were ready to provide protection from any potential source of danger." He also pointed to others "that we may or may not think of when we consider such an undertaking," such as the Indiana Area schools that modified schedules affecting staff, students and families, business opening extra hours to serve thousands of guests to the county, extracurricular events adjusted to ensure less traffic, and parking located "for our many guests including help from the IRMC Healthcare Foundation, and our local hospitals and medical services were prepared to assist those in need." Indeed, Manzi concluded, "there are so many individuals and entities to thank that I fear trying to list them all will result in unintentionally missing some of our valuable community members and partners" involved "in hosting a former United States president in our county.
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