Community spirit

Post holds annual National Night Out

Sgt. Joshua Rorhbach, 212th Military Police and Officer Brian Brower, Directorate of Emergency Services, man the grill during National Night Out.

DeShawn Etheridge, 5, wants to be a fireman when he grows up. Victoria Chavis wanted to learn the proper way to install a child's car seat and Izaiah Robinson, 12, wants to support the military police.

Tuesday night, Etheridge, Chavis, Robinson and hundreds of other Fort Belvoir community members learned about Fort Belvoir's law enforcement and firemen during the annual National Night Out celebration and received free food and prizes in the process.

"[I want] them to get exposed to firemen and policemen-for them to respect authority," said David Winner, who is retired from the Coast Guard and brought his two daughters, Kaleigh, 10, and Lesleigh, 8, and their friend, Ciara Means, 11.

The girls received free T-shirts, played trivia games for prizes and enjoyed the pool, all while looking at fire trucks, police vehicles and talking with MPs and firemen.

"The purpose of National Night Out is to get to know the first responders-so, get out there," said Installation Commander Col. Brian Lauritzen. "This is a great opportunity to get out and mix it up with the first responders."

The annual event, started at Fort Belvoir 13 years ago, began with officials visiting individual neighborhoods on post. In later years, the event consolidated into a central location and, this year, for the first time, the event was held at Pool No. 3 or the north post pool.

The nationwide event, sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch, encourages communities to throw block parties, cookouts and parades to bring law enforcement, firemen and the local communities together. The activities are used to heighten crime and drug prevention and awareness.

"This is sending a message to the community that we're here and the community is involved," said Lt. Thomas Truese, co-coordinator of the event. "It gives the opportunity for both law enforcement and the community to celebrate the relationship that those two entities should have."

Military Police Investigators Eric Fuehring and Cherie Giroux provided child identification kits to parents. The kits present the opportunity for children to be fingerprinted, have updated photographs and descriptions in case of an emergency.

"We're just spreading awareness and making sure everybody knows these services are available," Fuehring said. "It's always good for parents to protect their kids."

The Fort Belvoir Fire Department brought several fire trucks for children to look at and sit in and set up information booths on car seat installation and fire safety, among other information.

"We just educate," said Fire Marshall John Weaver. "We have to make sure that they know the numbers."

Fort Belvoir's emergency number is 703-781-1800, rather than 911. The emergency number will get a faster response than 911.

"It was fun," said Anton Lucas, 12, who wants to be a fireman when he grows up. "I learned some more stuff."

The event was sponsored by Morale Welfare and Recreation, the Community Club, Army and Air Force Exchange and many others.