West Sacramento still has a welcoming small town feel while situated across the river from downtown Sacramento. I hope West Sacramento never loses the sense of community, which was the draw for me to become a resident in 1994.

One cool thing about West Sacramento is the annual Santa Fire Truck. My first experience was before social media existed to prepare me for the sirens, lights, honking, music and “HoHoHo! Merry Christmas” as Santa rode a fire ladder truck while smaller emergency vehicles, and people handed out candy canes through the neighborhood. It was the annual Santa Fire Truck! I was hooked! This became an event I look forward to every holiday season.

The Santa Fire Truck is a canned food drive where the fire fighters use the donations to make gift baskets for community members in need. West Sacramento employs about 60 fire fighters among the five fire departments throughout the community. The Station 45 ladder truck is adorned with Santa’s sleigh while additional fire fighter elves pick up donations, hand out candy canes and drive the support and pick-up truck vehicles while Santa rides through the neighborhood.

 

Thanks to social media, I follow the schedule and make certain to be home with a full bag of recently purchased canned food. Christmas would not be the same without the Santa Fire Truck!

 

Photo courtesy City of West Sacramento