Overton County Ambulance Service To Host Selfies With Santa Event

The Overton County Ambulance Service invites families to attend its first-ever Selfies With Santa events on Thursday and Friday.

Ambulance Service Director Shane Walker said getting involved with the youth has been a common topic at meetings this year. Walker said the event gives his crews a chance to enjoy something wholesome, instead of the accidents and tragedies that the job often involves.

“This is just two hours, but that’s two hours that maybe their mind is not going to be thinking about maybe stuff that they’ve seen in the past or stuff that they’re dealing with,” Walker said. “They’re going to be focused on those kids and seeing them happy and making sure that they’re having a good time.”

Walker said this event allows children to familiarize themselves with the people who will be there for them in their time of need. The event will run from 5-7pm on Thursday at the Livingston Ambulance Service Station and 5-7pm Friday at the Hanging Limb substation.

“I think it will also help with the aspect of if they ever do need us, maybe they’ll see a familiar face and they won’t be as scared, knowing that sometimes, just because we’re there, it’s not a bad thing,” Walker said.

Walker said he hopes the exposure will inspire the kids as well. Walker said he remembers a time when it was very common for children to aspire to work in a field like emergency services, but that desire is not as prevalent in today’s youth.

“You would have your Fire Department and your Police Department, Sheriff’s Departments would come into the school and whenever they would get done with their presentations, some of the kids would say, “I want to be a fireman,” or  “I want to be a cop,” and sometimes that sticks with them,” Walker said. “I think that interacting with them more will help with that.”

Walker said he decided to have two events at separate locations to make sure all regions of the county felt included. He said that residents of the Hanging Limb area may have a hard time getting to the main station after work.