Halloween will come with a first-responder twist in Spring this October when Harris County ESD 11 EMS brings back its annual Trunk or Treat.

The free event is set for Thursday, Oct. 22, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Harris County ESD 11 campus, located at 8334 Stuebner Airline Road. Families can expect candy, decorated trunks, games and s’mores, but they will also get a rare chance to take a closer look at the emergency vehicles and crews that serve communities across northern Harris County.

For residents of Breckenridge Park, which is served by Harris County ESD 11 EMS, that means the people handing out candy may be some of the same paramedics and first responders who answer calls in their neighborhood.

More Than Just Decorated Trunks

This year’s event will include several partner agencies, giving kids plenty to explore beyond the usual Trunk or Treat lineup.

Community Volunteer Fire Department is expected to bring its bulletproof ambulance, Klein Fire Department will have fire trucks on site, and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office will bring law enforcement vehicles.

Harris County ESD 11 will also offer ambulance tours, giving children a look inside the vehicles they usually only see rushing down the road with lights and sirens.

Around the campus, families will find a pumpkin carving contest, face painters, outdoor games, grilled s’mores, a food truck and employee-decorated trunks filled with candy.

“The event will feature a pumpkin carving contest, face painters, a food truck, outdoor games, grilled s’mores, many of our employees’ creatively decorated trunks and of course lots of candy,” says Harris County ESD 11 CEO Jordan Anderson.

“This year we have the added attraction of our partner agencies joining us. Harris County Public Health will have an interactive booth teaching kids about road safety, our car seat team will be out teaching parents about the importance of proper car seat installation, The Greater Harris County 911 Emergency Network will be on hand to teach kids about emergency calls and of course we will have ambulance tours and the added attraction of our partner agency apparatus. This event just gets bigger every year and we love spending a fun evening with our community.”

A Little Safety Mixed In With the Candy

The event is meant to be fun, but several activities will give families useful information to take home, too.

Harris County Public Health will have an interactive road-safety booth for children, while Harris County ESD 11’s car seat team will talk with parents about proper installation and child passenger safety.

The Greater Harris County 911 Emergency Network will also be there to teach children about emergency calls, including when to call 911 and what information dispatchers need.

Those may not be the first things kids talk about on the ride home, but they are the kinds of lessons parents hope stick.

For families in Breckenridge Park, the event also offers a more relaxed way for children to meet first responders before they ever have to interact with them during an emergency.

The EMS Agency Behind the Event

Harris County ESD 11 Mobile Healthcare covers 177 square miles of northern Harris County and serves more than 700,000 residents. The district receives more than 65,000 calls each year and describes itself as the largest Emergency Services District in Texas.

Its communication center, known as Control, is also recognized as an Accredited Center of Excellence by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch.

Those numbers are large, but events like Trunk or Treat bring the work down to a much more personal level. Instead of meeting a paramedic on a stressful day, families can stop by, ask questions, look inside an ambulance and let the kids grab another piece of candy.

For Breckenridge Park families looking for a free Halloween event close to home, the evening offers a mix of candy, costumes, emergency vehicles and a chance to get to know the people who serve the community every day.

Stay tuned to My Neighborhood News for more local events, family activities and community updates that matter to Breckenridge Park residents.

By Tiffany Krenek, My Neighborhood News 

Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.

Local business spotlight

Grow your business
where trust already lives.

Let’s introduce your business to the neighbors nearby.

Spotlight My Business →

Have a local favorite? Recommend a business