Fair helps children better understand the role of police, firefighters in the community

Children peered over the edge of the bucket Saturday, as they were hoisted high above the parking lot of the Colonnade shopping center by a fireman’s crane. From above the ground, they got a bird’s-eye view of children climbing in emergency vehicles, trying on police equipment and climbing rock walls.

For the past 16 years, the Patton Township Children’s Fair has been providing families with the opportunity to learn about local public service and safety agencies through a hands-on experience. And Saturday was no different.

“We are deeply pleased with the results this year. There were approximately 700 people here when we started earlier this morning and they continue to come out on a steady basis,” Tom Snyder, community relations officer with Patton Township police, said.

The fair, which is a joint effort between the Patton Township Police Department and the Patton Township Business Association, annually features exhibits and activities from local police and fire departments, EMS services and more.

“It’s great talking to kids and showing them how officers work to keep them safe and protected,” Snyder said. “They love climbing inside the vehicles, looking at the gear we use and developing a deeper understanding of how brave police officers and firefighters are.”

Traditionally, the fair has been held during the first out-of-town Penn State football game of the season, but that is going to change beginning next year.

“Despite the growth of the fair, we are going to begin hosting it during the month of May from this point on,” Snyder said. “There are a lot of festivals that seem to use the first away game as an opportunity to host their events. We want to make it so that families don’t have to rush around all day trying to hit everything in town.”

This story was originally published September 23, 2017 at 11:25 PM with the headline "Fair helps children better understand the role of police, firefighters in the community."