Washington Township Fire Hall

Santa will be making a visit around Washington Township this weekend. While his reindeer are resting up for Christmas, the Washington Township Fire Department will orchestrate several companies to pull his sleigh around. According to Ken Baily of Washington Township this is the fourth year that they have taken Santa around the township to see the children. To attract people's attention we drive slow blowing the siren and playing Christmas music. The first two years they used one of our member's utility trailers, borrowed a sleigh, and hauled the members around in all of the fire apparatus. This became quite difficult when entering some of the tight roads due to all the large trucks.

Two years ago Ken contacted Greg Kochka of Kochka's Towing in Vandergrift, and asked if he would haul Santa's sleigh on a flat bed. He agreed. Last year after several calls stating that they missed some of the township, they extended the Santa patrol to two nights and built a special sleigh of their own for Santa. One of their members built the sleigh from donated material and they repainted it this year and added red lights.

Last year Kochka's towing did one night and then Riggle Trucking pulled Santa around the next night. This year they will be using flatbed tow trucks from Kochka towing on Sunday and Clyde's towing on Saturday. At around 3:30 on December 14, Santa will be getting into his sleigh strapped to a flatbed and starting his rounds at Wellington Estates on the southern end of the township and work his way back to the fire hall. On Sunday, December 15, they will start at about the same time in Lancer Park on the northern end and work their way back. This trip around the township usually takes about four hours each night to cover the more populated areas of the township. If you live in Washington Township make sure you look out for Santa and his sleigh this weekend.