Photo by Jon Anderson.
Hoover National Night Out 2018 (4)
Hoover Fire Department paramedic J.R. McDonald helps Olivia Scott, 7, of Hoover out of the cab of a ladder truck at the 2017 National Night Out event in the parking lot of The Grove shopping center in Hoover.
The city of Hoover’s annual National Night out event is moving to a new location for its 10th year — the parking lot of the Riverchase Galleria.
National Night Out is an event designed to promote police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make neighborhoods safer. In some cities, neighborhoods host block parties, festivals, parades, cookouts and other types of events.
In Hoover, the city’s police and fire departments bring various kinds of specialty vehicles and equipment to put on display for the public. For example, the Police Department usually brings its mobile command center and numerous specialty units, such as bomb squad with its bomb robot, K-9 unit, special response tactical team, dive team with its boat, T-3 patrol vehicles (which resemble large, three-wheeled Segways) and motorcycle unit, which does maneuver demonstrations.
The Fire Department usually has various trucks and equipment there as well, and antique fire truck collectors sometimes bring their trucks for display as well.
The Hoover Masonic Lodge No. 644 also is slated to bring its child identification equipment so police officers can make child ID kits for parents that include their children’s name, photograph, fingerprints, physical description and identifying marks in case a child ever goes missing.
Other agencies, such as the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Army National Guard, Alabama State Troopers and U.S. Marshals Service also frequently attend Hoover’s National Night Out, but their attendance will depend on availability, Colbaugh said.
The event also includes a few inflatables, a car show, food trucks and several exhibitors, she said.
It’s a good opportunity for people to interact with law enforcement and other public safety agencies in a non-stressful environment and give them a chance to see some of the tools that are used to keep their community safe, Colbaugh said.
An estimated 5,000 people came last year, she said. This year’s event is scheduled for Aug. 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. Admission is free.
