Saturday morning, attendees of all ages took part in the first annual Public Health and Safety Day, hosted in the Perry Hy-Vee parking lot.

The event was the combination of the Public Safety Day and Public Health Fair, which had been hosted for several years prior. The result was a bigger event which a larger crowd, and a lot more things to see and do. Attendees could take part in “Touch a Truck,” with vehicles provided by the Perry Police, Fire, Public Works, and Parks and Recreation departments, Dallas County Emergency Medical Services, and the Perry School District. Additionally, the UnityPoint Health Life Flight helicopter made an appearance at the event.

There were also an assortment of free activities, including: information booths for various local health and safety entities; a “Stop the Bleed” demonstration with EMS Director Mike Thomason; the fire department’s Fire Safety House; and a demonstration of the City’s new Jaws of Life. Hy-Vee’s “Healthy You” mobile was also in attendance, with new Dietitian Rebecca Harken doing some exercise activities with kids. Harken said there was a great turnout for the event, and she also felt it was beneficial for everyone, including her. “It’s just really great to see everyone. I’m still new to this community, so it’s really great to meet everyone. And I think it’s just really good to get people educated and to see what resources are around in the community. Yeah, just bringing everyone together is really, really great!”

The Raccoon Valley Radio Big Red Radio was also at Public Health and Safety Day, as we broadcasted live, played music, and provided public address services.