Huge crowds will descend on the most popular emergency services open day in Manchester this week for #999Day.
On Thursday 4 August some 10,000 people are expected to turn up at The Orient car park at the intu Trafford Centre to see hundreds of emergency vehicles and live displays and to meet the men and women behind the hi-vis uniforms.
This annual event, set up at the start of the school holidays, is now in its sixth year and attracts vistors from all over the region.
Is it just me or are police officers getting younger every year?
Members of all the emergency services will be on hand to meet the public and answer questions.
Over 50 units and specialist teams will be showing off their vehicles, equipment and life-saving techniques.
Vintage 1960s police and fire units go on show
These include Greater Manchester Fire’s Water Incident Unit, based at Eccles, which helps with on-water search and rescue operations.
There’s the RSPCA Rope/Swiftwater Rescue Team, who use heavy-duty gear to rescue animals from watercourses, or the Mountain Rescue Teams who use outdoor expertise to volunteer 365 days a year supporting police and fire in Greater Manchester and beyond.
For the petrolheads, there’s the quickest whips Greater Manchester Police can buy, Specialist Tactical Response units and selections of vintage police and fire vehicles.
There’s loads to do for the kids as well with live displays of fires, car rescues, simulators and demonstrations from cadets.
Jim Liggett, Superintendent at GMP’s Trafford Division, said: “The day has gone from strength to strength each year and seeing the real interest that the general public have in what the emergency services do is fantastic.
“Events like these allow us to engage with our communities and we have seen huge support from local residents and visitors who recognise the work that we and our emergency service colleagues do in our local communities.”
At the intu Trafford Centre, Manchester, M17 8AA.
Follow the updates on Twitter at #999Day.
All images by Greater Manchester Fire via Flickr
