LOMBARD, Illinois—A fire engine, a squad car and a snow plow are among the vehicles that will be on hand for Lombard’s first “Touch A Truck” event, to be held October 9 in the parking lot of Yorktown Center.

The event, scheduled to run from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., rain or shine, will be held on the Highland Avenue side of the mall, near Carson Pirie Scott.  The event is being held in lieu of the annual Fire Department Open House and takes place during Fire Prevention Week, October 3-9 and is being sponsored and coordinated by the Lombard Fire, Police and Public Works labor unions, in cooperation with the Village of Lombard.

“We have a wide variety of vehicles that will be on hand for the kids to sit on and explore,” said organizer Dan Ekhart, Lombard Firefighter/Paramedic.  “We’ll also have fire prevention activities for all ages and fire safety demos as well as handouts for the attendees,” Ekhart added.

A vehicle extrication and a demonstration on extinguishing stove top fires are two of the demonstrations planned.  A nearby landing of a Loyola Life Star helicopter at noon also promises to be a highlight of the day, according to Ekhart.  “Not only will the kids be able to explore the trucks on site, but they’ll also be able to talk to a pilot and explore the helicopter,” he added. 

Refreshments will be offered by the “Hot Dog Lady” of Elmhurst and “Fuzzi Wigs” of Yorktown, with all proceeds going to the Lombard Junior Woman’s Club TLC Camp for kids with cancer and the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance (IFSA) “Camp I Am Me,” a camp for children with significant burn injuries.  The vendors’ costs will be underwritten by the Lombard Firefighter Union, Local 3009

“What we’re hoping to do is to raise enough money to cover the costs of sending a few children to each camp,” said Ekhart.  Cash donations will also be accepted.

Other agencies participating in the “Touch A Truck” event include the Illinois Tollway Authority, the American Red Cross, NICOR, the Illinois/Indiana Hummer Emergency Response Team (HERT), Zipprich Machinery Movers and West & Sons Trucking.  Ekhart estimates that approximately 30 trucks will be on hand for the event.

“The event will be staffed by volunteers of the Lombard Fire Department, Police Department and Public Works Department,” said Ekhart.  “All in all more than 25 volunteers will be on hand to make this event happen,” he added.