An event designed to bring the South Pasadena community closer together with first responders is on tap Tuesday night at Orange Grove Park.
National Night Out (NNO), founded in 1984, is an opportunity for police and fire along with other city departments to mingle with the community in an informal setting.
The event is slated for 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday, at Orange Grove Park, 815 Mission St. There will be a variety of public services on display, including a hands-on demonstration of CPR.
“This is a great time for the community to come together and see what services we have to offer,” said South Pasadena Fire Chief Paul Riddle. “The park setting is perfect. The CPR demonstration is a perfect time for members of the community to learn an important skill set.”
There also will be members of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and Public Safety Commissioners available to discuss any issues, Riddle said. The event also will have inflatables for the kids, games, food and music.
National Night Out started small with neighbors turning on their porch lights to show support of public safety, according to the National Association of Town Watch, which sponsors NNO nationally. The first NNO involved 2.5 million residents across 400 communities in 16 states, according to data on the Town Watch website. In 2016, those numbers increased to 36 million residents in 16,000 communities across the nation.
So Pas Police Chief Art Miller said National Night Out has evolved into an important way for first responders to build strong ties with the community.
“National Night Out is another opportunity for our community to meet key members of the city,” Miller said Wednesday morning. “Meeting in a park venue creates an environment where ideas and information can be shared. The more our community members come out to meet one another, the more information they will have to feel safe. All entities are important to create a holistic approach to living in our safe city.”
