LA VERGNE, TENN. – Fire Department and Police Department staff and officers joined forces Saturday for La Vergne’s inaugural Summer Safety Day with activities and education for local kids.
The event welcomed about two dozen registered children for a day of hands-on safety education, fun activities, and face-to-face conversations with local heroes, including:
- Bike safety with Sgt. Bill Timson of the Police Department
- Fire safety with the Fire Department’s Life Safety Officer Kevin Douglas
- Police vehicle exploration with officers Algernon Thompkins, Jonathan McCall, and Colton Jeralds
- Bike safety helmet decoration with Kari Harris, community engagement coordinator, and members of the La Vergne Fire Explorers Program which offers teens ages 14 to 18 the opportunity to explore careers in public safety
Participants got to keep their personalized safety helmets, generously donated by the IAFF Firefighters Association and Ascend Federal Credit Union, and ended the day with pizza and important tools to help keep their homes and neighborhoods safe.
Emphasizing basic home fire safety tips, smoke detector awareness, and the importance of having a family escape plan, Douglas noted that events like the Summer Safety Day are crucial to fire prevention.
“Fire and safety education isn’t always easy to access,” Douglas said. “By coming into the community event like this, we can proactively share knowledge that might save a life and make sure our kids know we’re here for them, in both the good and the scary moments.”
The police department also gave young attendees an up-close look at some of their equipment, uniforms, and vehicles. Kids were full of questions like “How fast can a police car go?”, “Why do officers wear dark uniforms?”, and “What do you keep in your vest?” Officers answered with humor, patience, smiles, and a common theme: how to stay safe.
“It’s not just about safety,” said one officer. “It’s about connection. When children interact with us during fun events like this, they’re more likely to feel safe and trust us in an emergency.”
Families interested in the Explorers Program or future events can find more information on LaVergneTN.gov or by following our social media.
“This was just the beginning,” said Harris. “We’re already looking forward to making Summer Safety Day an annual tradition.”
La Vergne is a growing city in Rutherford County dedicated to community and delivering the highest level of services with integrity, trust, and professionalism.
