hp4l
Division Supervisor 
Remember Your Roots
Posts: 600
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Post by hp4l on Nov 28, 2007 12:25:07 GMT -5
What does your department do for the holidays? Do you take Santa around on the fire truck? Have Santa at the station? Anything else?
Medford goes to New Lisbon Developmental Center every year on Christmas Eve with Santa for the residents. It has been over 30 years now. There used to be a lot of departments that did it but Medford is the only one for at least the last 10 years. As the fat guy, I have played Santa there numerous times and it really hits you when you leave.
Cinnaminson takes Santa out on Christmas Eve. residents bring presents to the firehouse and Santa will deliver them to the kids.
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Post by Kramer on Nov 28, 2007 12:30:43 GMT -5
411 takes santa all around town (a whole square mile) and to a few select spots of families and co workers out of town by request. its definately a fun time
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Post by 3105 on Nov 28, 2007 15:50:40 GMT -5
As the fat guy, I have played Santa there numerous times Fat? Nah....metabolically challenged, maybe....here I thought that was all muscle.... 312 has done the annual Santa thing for years; my station has a family get-together for dinner and kibizing with Santa and the kids. |
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hp4l
Division Supervisor
Remember Your Roots
Posts: 600
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Post by hp4l on Nov 28, 2007 15:52:41 GMT -5
Now I know you are getting old because yuor eyes are going.
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Post by 3105 on Nov 28, 2007 15:56:07 GMT -5
Now I know you are getting old because yuor eyes are going. ....among other things...... |
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ENG27SQ
Division Supervisor
MS Paint Guru
Posts: 653
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Post by ENG27SQ on Nov 28, 2007 23:22:44 GMT -5
Well We (292/298) are stepping things up finally.
We're doing a "Lunch with Santa" on the 22nd from 12pm-3pm which I wont make due to work.
Then on the 24th we're taking Santa around the twp on the Rescue Engine along with 291. Also as we take Santa around, the members who attend will vote for a house thats "Best Lit" with Christmas lights and the winner (selected by the chiefs) will receive free smoke detectors/Co Alarms (Cheesy I know but hey, a lot of houses dont have any)
Jim, we also did it with you guys for a while but a stink was made about us doing it since you guys had it before so Im told.
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Post by mumbles181 on Nov 29, 2007 0:03:12 GMT -5
181 does a family dinner and we have done "Operation Santa" for at least 15-20 years now. People call the station to set up a date and time to have Santa make a personal visit. We have gone to houses and seen kids with nothing. No gift, no holiday dinner, the parents just wanted Santa to come. We've provided gifts and dinners for at least 5-6 families over the last 4 years.
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Post by 3105 on Nov 29, 2007 6:07:37 GMT -5
181 does a family dinner and we have done "Operation Santa" for at least 15-20 years now. People call the station to set up a date and time to have Santa make a personal visit. We have gone to houses and seen kids with nothing. No gift, no holiday dinner, the parents just wanted Santa to come. We've provided gifts and dinners for at least 5-6 families over the last 4 years. That's when you realize that we can make a difference.... |
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ENG27SQ
Division Supervisor
MS Paint Guru
Posts: 653
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Post by ENG27SQ on Nov 29, 2007 10:51:05 GMT -5
181 does a family dinner and we have done "Operation Santa" for at least 15-20 years now. People call the station to set up a date and time to have Santa make a personal visit. We have gone to houses and seen kids with nothing. No gift, no holiday dinner, the parents just wanted Santa to come. We've provided gifts and dinners for at least 5-6 families over the last 4 years. I think it was 2003 when 2 specific families called the chief and had us come to their houses, code 3 with the kids' Christmas gifts. I've never seen kids more happier. They got to see Santa,Firetrucks AND got Christmas presents. We still do it to this day. I know this year we've gotten a lot of donations from stores, toy wise for this year. hoping to stop at every house to make the holidays more enjoyable for the less fortunate. |
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Post by Kramer on Nov 29, 2007 11:01:31 GMT -5
thats the part i love...we've been doing this for a while so the residents either drop their presents to the station, to a member they know, or hear us coming and run out to get the ones they hid in their cars...truely a great experience to see the kids faces. even if they dont have a present ready for us we have the candy canes and of course they can talk to and get pictures with santa.
as a sign of the times though we got threatened in one of the apartment complexes by a kids father last year for "not paying enough attention to his kid" he threatened santa...its gettin bad
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ENG27SQ
Division Supervisor
MS Paint Guru
Posts: 653
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Post by ENG27SQ on Nov 29, 2007 11:25:23 GMT -5
as a sign of the times though we got threatened in one of the apartment complexes by a kids father last year for "not paying enough attention to his kid" he threatened santa...its gettin bad I figured if anywhere thatd happen in the 18s local.. |
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hp4l
Division Supervisor
Remember Your Roots
Posts: 600
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Post by hp4l on Nov 29, 2007 13:35:10 GMT -5
It seems that there are too many issues to drive Santa around lately. You need a chase vehicle, people complain that you're too loud, came too late, came when they weren't home, didn't have hannakuah represented. It's ashame what this world has come to. But when you see that one kid or family's face light up it is totally worth it.
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Post by shader101 on Dec 9, 2007 19:38:08 GMT -5
we run santa around town 2 trucks north one nite same south side next nite gets kinda interesting when they hit the same turn around street, fop in town does the gifts for kids in need we use to deliver for them, someone man's the station phone for misses or complaints and one complains about the noise will prob get a few passes by for the kids lol knowing our fd if the township said not to do it we prob would anyway
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cfd2037
Forum Crew Member
Posts: 29
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Post by cfd2037 on Dec 11, 2007 11:56:07 GMT -5
Jim, You know that in our district (20) if someone complains about the noise, they get it twice as loud next year!!!!  Chris |
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JDub
Forum Assistant Chief
Firefighter
Posts: 192
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Post by JDub on Dec 11, 2007 23:24:07 GMT -5
It seems that there are too many issues to drive Santa around lately. You need a chase vehicle, people complain that you're too loud, came too late, came when they weren't home, didn't have hannakuah represented. It's ashame what this world has come to. But when you see that one kid or family's face light up it is totally worth it. Being D20's resident jew I shall comment. It's Christmas Eve not Hanukkah even if they happen t fall on the same night.....I am not dressing up a firefighter as a dreidel, menorah, or have some guy walking around in a yam aka. It's Christmas, if they have a problem with it then they missed a couple of hundred years of Americas history of being a melting pot of races, cultures, religions. Get over it we aren't doing it to spite you. Shalom and Mazol Tov. |
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ENG27SQ
Division Supervisor
MS Paint Guru
Posts: 653
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Post by ENG27SQ on Dec 11, 2007 23:32:50 GMT -5
It seems that there are too many issues to drive Santa around lately. You need a chase vehicle, people complain that you're too loud, came too late, came when they weren't home, didn't have hannakuah represented. It's ashame what this world has come to. But when you see that one kid or family's face light up it is totally worth it. Being D20's resident jew I shall comment. It's Christmas Eve not Hanukkah even if they happen t fall on the same night.....I am not dressing up a firefighter as a dreidel, menorah, or have some guy walking around in a yam aka. It's Christmas, if they have a problem with it then they missed a couple of hundred years of Americas history of being a melting pot of races, cultures, religions. Get over it we aren't doing it to spite you. Shalom and Mazol Tov. Well said Josh. D29 Jew ;D |
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Post by firstin312 on Dec 12, 2007 21:40:16 GMT -5
As 3105 said, station 312 has driven Santa around for at least 30 yrs and when the last Santa retired about 7-8 yrs ago I have the pleasure of playing Santa. And like a child getting a new toy 312 just bought me a new Santa suit, big money, which I just got today and love it, hohohohoho!! Nothing better then seeing the kids faces as well as the adults. I personally would recommend that every firefighter gets involved with helping people this time of year, your reward is the smile on the families faces. Always remember that if you think you have it bad there is always someone else that has it a lot worse!! God Bless and Merry Christmas |
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Post by FirstDue312 on Dec 12, 2007 22:08:49 GMT -5
You mean it was you all these years Cap!?!? My childhood has been a fraud! Hahah |
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Post by thelurker on Dec 13, 2007 12:43:28 GMT -5
It seems that there are too many issues to drive Santa around lately. You need a chase vehicle, people complain that you're too loud, came too late, came when they weren't home, didn't have hannakuah represented. It's ashame what this world has come to. But when you see that one kid or family's face light up it is totally worth it. Being D20's resident jew I shall comment. It's Christmas Eve not Hanukkah even if they happen t fall on the same night.....I am not dressing up a firefighter as a dreidel, menorah, or have some guy walking around in a yam aka. It's Christmas, if they have a problem with it then they missed a couple of hundred years of Americas history of being a melting pot of races, cultures, religions. Get over it we aren't doing it to spite you. Shalom and Mazol Tov. See, we have Josh, who says the fire service isn't diverse.... but if you were to dress up as a menorah or a dreidel, I will definitely make sure to photographically document that for your retirement dinner. |
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Post by WebBoss on Dec 13, 2007 12:47:12 GMT -5
Being D20's resident jew I shall comment. It's Christmas Eve not Hanukkah even if they happen t fall on the same night.....I am not dressing up a firefighter as a dreidel, menorah, or have some guy walking around in a yam aka. It's Christmas, if they have a problem with it then they missed a couple of hundred years of Americas history of being a melting pot of races, cultures, religions. Get over it we aren't doing it to spite you. Shalom and Mazol Tov. See, we have Josh, who says the fire service isn't diverse.... but if you were to dress up as a menorah or a dreidel, I will definitely make sure to photographically document that for your retirement dinner. At least dress up like that South Park kid! (Stan?) |
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