A display of emergency vehicles, a bike rodeo, car seat safety checks and an opportunity to visit with firefighters, police officers and 911 dispatchers will be offered during Kids Safety Day being presented by the New Holland Ambulance Association, 101 E. Franklin St., New Holland. The event will take place on Saturday, May 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Kids Safety Day, which is free and open to the community, will also feature an open house. "We will have our bays open, so people are more than welcome to look throughout the ambulance station," said Darrell Fisher, EMS chief.

One of the highlights of the day will be a bike rodeo; youths are asked to bring their own bikes and helmets. "They will ride through a safety course, and we will introduce them to safety signs like a stop sign or red light and a railroad crossing," Fisher explained.

Representatives from the Lancaster County 911 Dispatching Center will be available to talk about what important information should be provided to 911 dispatchers in the event of an emergency.

Also on hand during the day will be horses from the Lancaster City Bureau of Police's Mounted Patrol from Lancaster city and members of Pennsylvania Canine Search and Rescue. "The search and rescue dogs will do demonstrations throughout the day," said Fisher. "People will be able to meet the dogs and talk to the trainers and interact with them and learn about how much training (the dogs) do."

In the parking lot, visitors will be able to see numerous rescue and police vehicles. "Garden Spot Fire and Rescue will bring fire trucks for the kids to get into, and (they will be able to) chat with the firefighters. The New Holland Police Department will be there with their cars," said Fisher.

Car seat safety checks will be offered throughout the day. "(Attendees) can chat with our technician (and learn when to) use a rear-facing or forward-facing seat and best practices. If you have a new seat, you can stop in and have it checked," Fisher added.

Fisher said that the New Holland Ambulance holds various events to promote safety. "We had some other events like National Night Out and some Farm Safety Days," he noted. "We see the importance of promoting safety to the children."

Those who complete the bicycle safety course will be given a ticket for a chance to win a bike. "We will give out at least two bikes that have been donated," Fisher said. "We will draw the names at the end of the day."

New Holland Ambulance Association is a volunteer-led nonprofit organization. The area its serves includes New Holland Borough, Earl Township, Upper Leacock Township and West Earl Township. "We get about eight to 10 calls a day," said Fisher. "We have about 100 active volunteers, but in the daytime, we have some paid staff."

Each January, the association offers its own EMT training program, which meets two times a week for six months. "It's designed for local people who have full-time jobs. It's a way for folks to give back to their community," Fisher said.

To learn more about the ambulance association and the Kids Safety Day and open house, visit http://www.newhollandambulance.com or http://www.facebook.com/newholland.ambulance.