Pittston Township firefighter Michael DePierro and wife, Britney DePierro, look on as their son, Michael DePierro. enjoys sitting on a rescue truck on Sunday.
Geri Gibbons | For Times Leader
Hughestown Mayor Wayne Quick and patrolman Gilbert Diaz pose with a flag depicting Jax, a K-9 officer who will start his service to the department in about six months, on Sunday.
Geri Gibbons | For Times Leader
HUGHESTOWN — If all goes as planned, a German Shepherd in training will take his place as a K-9 on the Hughestown police force early next year.
K-9 Jax, assigned to patrolman Gilbert Diaz, will be trained on such things as narcotic detection and community patrolling.
But it is estimated that about $40,000 will be needed for training and equipment to ready Jax for his new job, so the police department is reaching out to the community for help in raising it.
A free touch-a-truck event held at Robert Yaple Park on Sunday, was part of the effort, and brought dozens of families out, in spite of some rain.
Mayor Wayne Quick said 90% of municipal police departments have officers that go on patrol one at a time.
When Jax goes out with Diaz, he will provide an extra level of protection for Diaz, in addition to being available for assisting in investigations and search efforts.
The department has several fundraisers in place to raise money for K-9 expenses and has raised about $15,000 so far.
Fire trucks gathered
When one of the fire trucks participating in the event turned on its lights and sirens and drove out of the park where the event was held, Michael DePierro, 3, wanted to know, “Where are they going?”
His father, Michael DePierro, who is a Pittston Township fireman, told his son that that’s what emergency personnel do — they help people when there is a fire or other emergency.
And because the younger DePierro has spent a lot of time at the fire department and a lot of time with his dad, he seemed to understand.
When asked what his favorite fire truck was, the young DePierro didn’t hesitate, it was the rescue truck.
Mom Britney DePierro said the event was a great opportunity for young people to be “hands on” with fire equipment.
Her son, she said, was very excited to see all the different fire trucks from different departments in one spot.
Festival atmosphere
In addition to fire trucks and emergency personnel, homemade foods sales and more than a dozen vendors were on hand, providing a festival-like atmosphere.
Aleshanee Bauer, originally from Pittston and now from Mountain Top, was at the event selling children’s books.
She said the decision to come to the event as a vendor was an easy one.
“They are raising money for a good cause,” she said.
Bauer said she believed that many families were more than happy to weather a little rain, in order to be able to see fire equipment up close and get to talk with firefighters.
The police department continues to accept donations to support Jax. Checks can be mailed to the police department with “Jax” in the memo line.
Two other events are also scheduled for K-9 fundraising: a “Skate for K-9 Jax” at Skateaway in Wilkes-Barre from 6 to 9 p.m. on Aug. 5 and a “Bark in the Park” at Yaple Park on Sept. 4.
