OC firefighter/paramedics Eric Peterson, front, and Mike Maykrantz helped students at Ocean City Elementary School try on their new winter coats.

WEST OCEAN CITY — A couple dozen area school children got new coats for the winter on Tuesday from the Career Firefighter/Paramedics of Ocean City through a partnership with the nationwide Operation Warm initiative.

A handful of career Ocean City firefighters and paramedics on Tuesday distributed winter coats to 34 Ocean City Elementary School students with another five or so distributed to other children in the community. The coats, which are made in the U.S. and cost around $34 each, were purchased by the local firefighters union, which includes career firefighters, paramedics and fire marshals office representatives, through generous donations from the community and the Operation Warm initiative.

Local International Association of Fire Fighters members, including Career Firefighters/Paramedics of Ocean City President President Ryan Whittington,

Members of the Career Firefighters/Paramedics of Ocean City pictured, standing from left, are Ryan Womer, Mike Maykrantz, Mark Lloyd and Jeff Apperance; and, seated, Eric Peterson and President Ryan Whittington. Photos by Shawn Soper

along with firefighters Jeff Apperance, Mark Lloyd, Mike Maykrantz, Ryan Womer and Eric Peterson, distributed the new winter coats to local children living in need in the community.

In groups of two or three at a time, the OCES students entered the school cafeteria and were assisted by the firefighters in picking out a new winter coat in the appropriate size and their favorite color. The firefighters made sure the kids got the coats they wanted, made sure they fit appropriately and then wrote each students’ name on a designated space inside the coat.

All in all, roughly 34 coats were distributed to needy OCES students and another five will be distributed to other kids in the area in need. The timing could not have been much better with the persistent stormy, damp weather and the holidays rapidly approaching.

Operation Warm is a nationwide initiative led by IAFF firefighters to provide the gift of warmth to children in the communities they protect. Through Operation Warm, IAFF affiliates

raise awareness, launch fundraising campaigns and distribute American-made coats to local children in need. Through the first two years of Operation Warm, IAFF representatives in 150 communities have distributed over 50,000 new winter coats to children in need in their communities.