Several Iowa communities hosted National Night Out on Tuesday as a way for first responders to connect with their local communities.
Hampton was one of nearly 50 communities in Iowa to host a National Night Out event. Franklin County Sheriff Aaron Dodd on how the event continues to grow.
“It’s just an opportunity to grab a free ice cream cone, a free hot dog, and then just check out what your law enforcement, fire, EMS partners are doing out there in the community,” says Dodd. “And of course, we’ve partnered with our rural electric co-ops. We’ve just kind of grown it every year, more and more community organizations.”
Representatives from the Hampton Police Department, Franklin General Hospital Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and fire departments from Hampton, Coulter, Latimer and Sheffield were also in attendance. Franklin General Hospital EMS Manager Nancy Retz says the night out helps build relationships with local youth.
“I think it’s a great thing, especially with children in our community,” says Retz. “It helps us not be so scary, to help give them some comfort and maybe just a face they recognize if something bad is going on.”
Other area locations that held National Night Out events on Tuesday included Belmond, Clarion and Mason City.
