The event began at 10 a.m. and my son and I arrived shortly after 11 a.m. Michael had one thing on his mind: sitting in an ambulance and a firetruck. Nothing was satisfactory until we accomplished this task, although cotton candy seemed to help. After standing in a moderately moving helmet line, we made our way to the firetrucks where handsome firemen were ready to assist small children (and damsels in distress) who dreamed of riding in a firetruck. My son climbed in and out of both trucks several times, excited that one fireman even closed to door so he could look out the window of engine number 6. From there, we moved to the ambulance, who had arrived from a call not long before. Michael was happy to stand in the back next to the gurney and take it all in. The Border Patrol also shared a vehicle with the crowd, where my son was thrilled to sit in the backseat and eat his popcorn while the police dog attacked a "perp" nearby. My son, while being 3, left mommy quite a mess to clean-up inside the vehicle. Another favorite attraction was the blow-up fire safety house where more handsome firemen allowed children to play inside, then at the sound of a smoke detector, the kids jumped out the windows onto gym mats. This was a little nerve wrecking for a mom of a young child as I had to man both the front doors and the back windows to avoid a wandering child. Not a fun activity for me!
The line for the Home Depot Workshop was rather large and slow moving so I opted to skip that activity. We headed over to a tent offering fire extinguisher services and allowing children to put out a "fire" with an real extinguisher. Michael was a little nervous due to the loud noise the extinguisher makes upon discharge but it was a hit! (With help) he pointed the extinguisher at a paper cut-out of a fire and let it go. He was especially pleased when he was able to choose a treat from their candy bowl.
Although crowded, the expo was an excellent event, drawing families from all around the community. Besides fire and emergency safety information, the expo offered career information for military and emergency workers, as well as college information. Despite the heat, the expo was informative and fun for children and adults alike. I will be sure to attend again next year!
