Golden's Bridge FD To Offer Drive-By Birthday Greetings

GOLDENS BRIDGE, NY — The Golden’s Bridge Fire Department will be bringing cheer to children who are missing out on birthday parties because of the new coronavirus outbreak. But Fire Chief James McManus says his department has added a new twist on this new trend that is going around the country.

The fire department will provide curbside birthday wishes to children and another important group of residents — senior citizens. Firetrucks will roll up to homes and serenade the birthday guests-of-honor with a cacophony of blaring sirens, booming horns, and flashing lights — and with firefighters providing birthday shout-outs.

This will all be done under strict social distancing guidelines, with firefighters never leaving the firetrucks and the birthday honorees watching from their windows or front doors, the chief said.

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“With all activities of Lewisboro’s very dynamic senior program suspended indefinitely, our elderly population — the most vulnerable to COVID-19 — has been isolated for weeks,” McManus said. "We want them to know they are not forgotten as this government stay-at-home directive continues into the foreseeable future."

He said children have been forced to adapt overnight to a drastically changed new normal – learning from home, communicating with their teachers remotely, having their sports seasons cancelled and not being able to play with their friends in the cul-de-sac or local parks.

“Birthdays are a special day in everyone’s life — but especially for the children and seniors of our community. Whether we are kids or kids at heart, everyone is fascinated with fire trucks – and in this case, they will put a huge smile on the faces of children and seniors alike at a time when we all could use something to smile about,” McManus said.

McManus said department members, many with children and grandchildren of their own, are enthused about playing a small part in easing some of the disappointment and sadness that children are feeling because they can’t have a birthday party with their friends, and equally, erase the despair that our seniors may be feeling at a time when their birthday should be a joyful occasion.

“It’s an extensive effort every time we leave the firehouse with our trucks and equipment. When we return, it takes close to an hour to decontaminate the vehicles, and department members practice safe distancing throughout the process. But our firefighters will go great lengths to put a smile on the faces of our elders and children,” McManus said.

The GBFD is planning to roll out its drive-by birthday wishes once a week to minimize the number of times trucks have to leave the firehouse. They will be driving from house to house for as long as it takes to make curbside visits to every family that registered for that particular week.

To arrange for a surprise, drive-by birthday visit from the Golden’s Bridge Fire Department for a child or senior citizen in the fire district celebrating their birthday, call or text the district’s public relations representative Steve Mangione at 914-403-4072, to get on the schedule.

“Notify your neighbors in advance to minimize their disturbance and to allow their children and families to stand by their windows and doors to attend these virtual birthday celebrations, too,” said Edward Brancati, a fire commissioner of the Golden’s Bridge Fire District who said he is hopeful that these missions of birthday cheer provide a celebratory lift and a mental health boost to the entire community.

“In a way, these birthday drive-bys are ‘rescue runs’ — a small gesture to make our children, seniors and others forget, even if for just a few minutes, the fears and anxiety of this global pandemic," he said. "Hopefully, this will be a delightful birthday memory and one that will help them get through these difficult times.”

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