MOSES LAKE — The bells, lights, sirens and hoses were all on display Tuesday at Moses Lake’s National Night Out at McCosh Park, and about 2,500 people were there to see them, according to Moses Lake Police Captain Jeff Sursely. 

“The crowd was probably a little bit light, probably due to the heat, but lighter than usual,” Sursely said. “But we had a lot of good interaction with the public. A lot of great information was distributed.” 

National Night Out is an annual event where the general public can come out and meet their emergency professionals — police, fire, medical and more — in a context that’s not an emergency. The MLPD was there, of course, as were the Grant County Sheriff’s Office, the Washington State Patrol, the Moses Lake Fire Department, the Moses Lake Tactical Response Team and Grant County District 5. Besides first responders, there were booths and displays from various community agencies, both government and nonprofit. There were games for the children including a dunk tank, whose occupant, MLPD Officer Jose Ramirez, was perhaps the happiest person under the 95-degree sun. He was dunked about 20 times in the first 20 minutes, he said. MLPD also served up free hot dogs and snow cones for the crowd.  

“We've been having fun with the kids ... we have little prizes and stuff,” said WSP Trooper Jeremy Weber. “I ask them, ‘When you’re in trouble and you need help, who do you call?' and they kind of think about it and they say, ‘Call the police.’ ‘OK, what number is that?’ ‘It’s 911!’” 

Interactions like that are important, Weber said, because police often seem intimidating to children. 

“You know, sometimes I see parents like, ‘Oh, I’m going to have them arrest you.’ They're joking, of course, but don't ever tell your kids that. We want to be there to help them.” 

Several other agencies have quizzes for the children as well, some with wheels the kids could spin for a prize. 

“What do you do if you find lighters and matches?” MLFD Fire Inspector Tasiya Deering asked 5-year-old Hannah Sullivan. “Should we give it to Mom, do you think?” 

Hannah nodded wordlessly, then spun a wheel to win a prize. 

“This always a great event,” Deering said. “I think this is my eighth year doing it.” 

Sursely said that this year’s event had a couple of new additions.

“The face painting lady was new this year, and she was a great hit,” Sursely said. “And then having the DJ (Rick Rodriguez) with some music turned out to be a real big positive, and that'll be happening again next year. … (He) got the kids out dancing and made that center area a lot of fun for the kids.” 

    Moses Lake Police Ofc. Jose Ramirez takes a plunge into the dunk tank at National Night Out in Moses Lake.
  

    The 95-degree weather made the snow cone booth a popular stop at National Night Out in Moses Lake Tuesday.
  

    Grant County Health District Health Educator Jana Rackham was at National Night Out Tuesday to show the proper use of car seats for children.