The Perry Fire Department will give fire truck rides and host Santa Claus Dec. 1.
“We’ve done it every year for several years now,” said Perry Fire Chief Lee Parker. “This is the first year we’ve held it at City Hall.”
Parker said the department has a 1951 Ford fire truck with bench seats in the back that it will use to haul kids and parents in.
“Basically, we give kids fire truck rides with Santa. Santa will be there, and he will ride in the truck with the kids,” Parker said. “We’ve got a pre-determined route picked out that will go around the fire station. It’s not more than a 10-minute ride.”
Santa always wants to hear what good boys and girls want for Christmas, and although a photographer will not be provided at the event, parents are more than welcome to take pictures of their children with Santa.
The event is hosted in conjunction with the Ladies Auxiliary Group, which is made up of wives and girlfriends of Perry firefighters.
Angi Holley,
“The Ladies Auxiliary will give away cookies to the kids. They’re going to be mostly homemade,” Holley said. “There will be music playing, and the Ladies Auxiliary is paying for everything out of their fund.”
Firefighters donate their personal time to the event, and Holley said there are usually six firefighters there, some of whom will be on duty. The Perry Fire Department has two locations, one of which is staffed with eight people next to City Hall and four people at Station 2.
The event will be held in the parking lot of City Hall, and people will be able to access the building for restrooms or if the weather turns cold.
Parents will need to sign a liability release for their children to ride in the fire truck, and Holley said she will have those available the day of the event.
The Fire Truck Rides and Santa Claus will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1, at Perry City Hall, 1211 Washington St.
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