Indiana Township wows young kids with its first-ever 'Touch-a-Truck' event

Indiana Township firefighter Mike Klier had a message Saturday morning for 4-year-old Gia Chanampa as he handed her a yellow, plastic firefighters helmet from his firetruck.

“You’ve gotta drink your milk and eat your vegetables if you want to be a firefighter,” said Klier, 59, a Shaler resident who responds to calls through the Middle Road Volunteer Fire Department in Indiana Township. “We have female firefighters at the station. There’s nothing stopping you.”

Chanampa, who tried to wear some firefighter gear, was impressed. But her favorite truck at the “Touch-A-Truck” event at Emmerling Community Park on Saturday was the ambulance.

Why?

“Because it takes care of people,” she said.

Parents and young children braved some wet, rainy conditions at the Cove Run Road park Saturday to get up-close views of various trucks — from local police cars, firetrucks and ambulances to tow trucks and a UPS delivery truck.

“‘Touch-a-truck’ events do well in other communities,” said Indiana Township Police Sgt. Kirk Vandenbord, the event organizer, “so we decided to host one of our own this year.”

In addition to the trucks, which packed Emmerling Community Park’s parking lot, kids could apply temporary tattoos, feast on sweet treats from a Kona Ice truck, and eat hot dogs and other snacks, Vandenbord said.

“The importance here is about bringing the community together to meet the first responders,” he said.

J.J. McLay, who will turn 2 in June, had one mission Saturday: to see a firetruck up close.

“J.J. is obsessed with trucks, loves trucks,” laughed his mother, Kristy McLay, 39, of Cheswick. “It’s his favorite word, too. He’ll say it all day long.”

J.J. was joined by his parents, Kristy and John McLay, and his 3-week-old brother, Vinny.

Jake Miller saw the rain coming down and was worried about whether the event would be held.

“We’re just checking it out,” said Miller, 39, of Cheswick. “We live right over the hill so we figured we’d take a shot.”

Miller had other motives, too. His employer, Independence Excavating, was putting a truck on display in the park.

“They did a nice job,” laughed Miller, as his sons Finley, 4, and Cooper, 2, looked in awe at the vehicles, many of whose tires were bigger than they are. “It’s pretty cool to see in person.”

Allora Santucci, a Seneca Area Ambulance EMT, was attending her first “Touch-A-Truck” event when she trekked out to Indiana Township. She was pleased to hear 4-year-old Gia Chanampa’s favorite vehicle was their ambulance.

“We make sure (kids) know we take care of the sick people so they can get better,” said Santucci, 22, of Kennedy Township

“The kids often times have better stories then we do,” laughed paramedic William Alexander of Sharpsburg.

Dates aren’t set for 2024, but Vandenbord said his police department plans to sponsor another “Touch-A-Truck” event next spring.

“I just hope we have better weather.”