The Longmeadow Police Department will host a K-9 demonstration along with an array of other community activities.
Reminder Publishing file photo
LONGMEADOW — Longmeadow is calling out to residents and families for a celebration of the town’s first responders in a dual event with the Longmeadow Police and Fire departments.
“First Responder Night” is set for Aug. 18 from 5-8 p.m. on the Town Green, instead of Williams Middle School. Residents can celebrate and meet their local first responders, explore emergency vehicles, learn about public safety, dine from an array of local food vendors and experience a K-9 demo.
The event began in 2021 and has been a tradition between the two departments ever since, with Sgt. Danielle Rex-Bernashe, K-9 handler Sgt. Amanda VanBuskirk and Detective Jessee Dabrea worked as the main collaborators from the Police Department.
Activities have previously included face painting, balloon animals, bounce houses and the Fire Department cutting up a car. There has also been helicopter landings, which will not return this year due to space.
Police Capt. Carl Mazzaferro said it’s a community event that seems to grow each year.
“We had a few hundred people there last year,” Mazzaferro said. “It was a great event to the point where many of the food vendors sold out of food. It’s been a very well received event throughout the community, and every year it seems to become more popular as we have it.”
He added that the night is a way for both departments to thank the community and also demonstrate the departments’ services, such as how the Fire Department can assist in evacuating a vehicle.
“It also gives people the opportunity to come face-to-face with the Police Department and speak with us on a personal level, which is valuable,” Mazzaferro said. “They get to see and speak with [Chief Robert Stocks], get to speak with myself and the same thing with the Fire Department, you know, [Chief John Rigney] and [Deputy Fire Chief Andrew Markt]. It’s a great opportunity to have that personal time with the community and communicate with them.”
Mazzaferro said he has always been a community policing officer and he loves the community outreach aspect.
“I love being around our residents and speaking with them,” Mazzaferro said. “I think that’s my favorite part of it, just spending time with our community and our residents in an atmosphere that’s open.”
