By Danielle Kutchel
Santa will take some time out of his busy schedule this week to visit Officer families and spread some Christmas cheer.
On Sunday 22 December from 1.00pm, the jolly man in red himself will hitch a ride with members of the Officer Fire Brigade to visit the housing estates in Officer.
The whirlwind tour will begin at Potters Grove estate and conclude in the evening at Rix Road North estate.
Secretary of Officer CFA, Kayla George, said it was a local Christmas tradition.
“We’ve done it for a few years now. We started doing it because there are a lot of new estates in our area and a lot of small families,” she explained.
The CFA has plotted a route for Santa to follow with multiple stops, and Ms George said in past years they have seen up to 100 people at each stop.
This year, the CFA tanker will only stop at the designated locations, rather than on the side of the road as in years’ past.
Another vehicle will follow Santa’s firetruck with information about his next stop, so families can plan their own afternoon.
At each location, Santa will chat to kids and let them man the fire hose for a short while.
Ms George said anyone can come along, not just Officer residents.
The tour is a highlight of the year for members, she added.
“It’s one of our members’ most favourite days. We’re all looking forward to it; almost everyone from the brigade is coming.”
Santa’s full timetable with approximate arrival times is as follows:
1. POTTERS GROVE ESTATE – 1.00pm to 1.30pm
2. TIMBERTOP ESTATE – 1.40pm to 2.10pm
3. POTTERS NORTHSIDE ESTATE – 2.20pm to 2.50pm
4. GRANDVUE ESTATE – 3.00pm to 3.30pm
5. ARENA ESTATE – 3.40pm to 4.10pm
6. ARCADIA ESTATE – 5.00pm to 5.30pm
7. KADUNA PARK ESTATE – 5.40pm to 6.10pm
8. PARK CENTRAL ESTATE – 6.20pm to 6.50pm
9. RIX ROAD NORTH ESTATE – 7.00pm to 7.30pm
Keep an eye on the Officer Fire Brigade Facebook page for updates.
