No emergency, just fun
Marshall’s National Night Out drew a crowd to Independence Park to meet local emergency responders
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MARSHALL -- It was still early at Marshall's National Night Out gathering, but Tom Venzke estimated the crowds were bigger than usual. How did he figure? North Memorial Ambulance crews were already starting to run low on stickers to hand out to kids climbing aboard their ambulance, he said.
"It's a good turnout this year," said Venzke, a paramedic with North Memorial.
Communities around the area were holding National Night Out events on Tuesday. In addition to Marshall's gathering at Independence Park, events were held in Minneota and Tracy, Lyon County Sheriff Eric Wallen said.
"It gives the community a chance to interact with our officers and other agencies," Wallen said.
"It's a way we feel we can give back a little," said Marshall Public Safety Director Jim Marshall.
The National Night Out is an annual event meant to help build connections between neighbors and with local law enforcement.
"Those community relationships and partnerships are crucial to what we do," Marshall said. He said it was encouraging to see the support the community had for local law enforcement.
There were plenty of opportunities to meet law enforcement like Marshall Police and the Sheriff's Office at Tuesday's event. Community members could get their bikes registered with the MPD to help protect against theft, or get a hands-free cell phone holder from the Sheriff's Office to comply with new state safety laws. But National Night Out was also a way for community members to meet their local emergency responders, and get an up-close look at the trucks and equipment they use.
In one part of the park, a crowd of kids gathered around Lee Steffen as he showed them the protective helmets, face masks and other gear the Southwest Chemical Assessment Team wear.
"Like a firefighter?" one little girl asked.
"Kind of," Steffen replied. The CAT members wear the gear to protect themselves from dangerous chemicals and other hazardous materials.
There were displays from North Memorial Ambulance, Marshall and Lyon County law enforcement, the Marshall Fire Department and more. Plus, kids and families could have fun with attractions like inflatables and a petting zoo.
Besides the educational opportunities, the relaxed atmosphere is one of the good things about National Night Out, participants said.
"We absolutely love this kind of stuff. Usually when we meet people, they're having the worst day imaginable," Venzke said. For the ambulance crews, it's good to get to interact with community members in much less stressful circumstances than a medical emergency.
"For young kids, it kind of takes some of the scariness away," when meeting police and emergency responders, Wallen said.