When disaster strikes, Pittsburgh needs to be ready. But right now, our police, firefighters, EMS, and emergency workers are understaffed, overworked, and underprepared. That puts all of us at risk.

The city has a unique opportunity to turn the long-abandoned VA hospital in Lincoln-Lemington into a state-of-the-art public safety training center. This plan would centralize vital services—like police, fire, EMS, animal control, and emergency response—into one location where professionals can train together, better, and faster.

But now, this project is under attack. Some opponents are comparing it to “Cop City” in Atlanta and demanding the entire plan be scrapped. That’s not only misleading—it’s dangerous.

Pittsburgh’s version is nothing like what’s happening in Georgia. There’s no mock city, no “urban warfare” training—just the essential infrastructure needed to protect our citizens in emergencies. This facility would include classrooms, a fire burn tower, and even salt and winter storage—basic tools for keeping our neighborhoods safe.

The people who put on the uniform to serve and protect deserve the best training we can provide. Delaying or cancelling this center puts politics ahead of public safety.

If Pittsburgh can’t finalize this plan, we risk losing the land completely—or paying full market value to keep it. That’s a terrible deal for taxpayers.

We, the undersigned, urge the City Council and Mayor Ed Gainey to move forward with the master plan for the public safety training facility and prioritize safety over slogans. Our first responders need us—let’s show up for them the way they show up for us.