Motorcycle team puts on arresting show
The men and women who work in emergency services are just as approachable as everyone else.
That was the message to the many youths who attended the fifth annual Niagara Safety Day on Saturday.
Held at Niagara Safety Village at Niagara College’s Welland campus, the event brought out multiple agencies from in and around Niagara, allowing parents and children to learn more
about how their communities are protected.
“The kids get to see us in uniforms, get to check out a lot of equipment — it’s an exciting time,” said Welland fire Chief Brian Kennedy.
A popular attraction at the family-friendly gathering was the Niagara Regional Police precision motorcycle unit and two demonstrations from the group — its first drill exercise performed in public.
“The guys were all very smooth and we’re very happy about it,” said Staff Sgt. Rome Di Egidio.
The unit’s primary responsibilities are traffic enforcement and providing police escorts for various events and situations. The choreographed exercises displayed for audiences on Saturday will most likely be on the agenda of future functions in Niagara, Di Egidio said.
“Hopefully we’ll be at some more community events later this year.”
Niagara Safety Village is a non-profit organization that provides education in a safe and controlled environment to the residents of the region, with its priority being local school-aged children. It opened 15 years ago.
“It’s all about introducing family and kids to emergency services — and this keeps getting bigger and bigger,” executive director Shirley Cordiner said of the safety day event, estimating more than 400 people attended.
For more information, visit www. niagarasafetyvillage.com.