Emergency Volunteers Respond To The Scene… Of A Picnic

The men and women who volunteer their time to respond to your emergencies took a few hours out of their busy schedules Saturday for the third annual emergency services picnic at Treadwell Park.

The event gave the various volunteers an opportunity to see one another… away from the accident scenes where they so often come together. And, except for a handful of emergency medical calls, the day was a relatively quiet one. That was good news for those on the volleyball court, who were engaged in close contest. A sudden 911 call would have spoiled everything.

About 100 volunteers showed up during the course of the day.

The event was organized by Sandy Hook Fire and Rescue and ambulance corps member Karin Halstead, who said the picnic gives volunteers a chance to enjoy each other’s company without the shrill of sirens in the background. “This was a social thing,” Ms Halstead explained. “It gave us a chance to kick back and relax.”

As one volunteer pointed out, emergency workers are often so preoccupied with a call that they have little time to stop and ask, “So how’s the family?”

Patty Powers, organizer of past picnics, showed up later in the day carrying her one-month old son, Shane.

Members of the Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps, five fire companies, police, Newtown Underwater Search & Rescue, and 911 dispatchers were all on hand.