Meet Whatcom County first responders at National Night Out on Tuesday, Aug. 4, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Birch Bay Beach Park, 7930 Birch Bay Drive.
The nationwide campaign, which began in August 1984, is an initiative by the National Association of Town Watch to foster relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve.
Over 17,000 communities across the United States participate in the event each year, which always falls on the first Tuesday of August.
Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce is hosting the local event.
At Birch Bay Beach Park, eventgoers can meet first responders and law enforcement and take photos with the emergency and specialty response vehicles, such as boats, ATVs, motorcycles and fire trucks.
Not all organizations in attendance are law enforcement; others include Whatcom County Parks and Recreation, Bikers Against Child Abuse and the Whatcom County Library System. Some agencies will have tents set up with hats, stickers and other goodies for the kids.
The first 300 people will also receive a free slice of pizza from Sahara Pizza. The event is free and open to the public.
“We have to make these events possible, because most of the time if we were to contact someone in the community on a call, it’s normally scary or could be intense, so finding opportunities to have interactions that are positive, fun-filled, lighthearted … It just creates positive interactions, which is what we want,” said Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Joel Douglas, a neighborhood deputy for Birch Bay.
