Town of Chapel Hill Community Arts and Culture and the Chapel Hill Fire Department will host their Santa Rooftop Rescue Friday evening.

The rescue, which was rescheduled due to rainy weather on December 13, will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Franklin Street. The event will feature Santa Claus finding himself up on the rooftop of 140 West Franklin Street Apartments with no way down and the fire department will use its new ladder truck to help rescue him.

The event will end with Santa being brought down from the roof by the ladder platform to give treats and hot chocolate to attendees.

The rescue provides the Chapel Hill community a chance to see the fire department’s newest vehicle in action. Chapel Hill Fire Chief Matt Sullivan says the 100-foot ladder platform has been a valuable resource to the department’s fleet.

“It was bought a year ago by the town as part of the public safety bonds,” he said. “It’s is an incredible tool. We’ve used it in a couple of rescues, and it’s got all the high-tech devices. It certainly beats toting a hose up one hundred feet of wooden ladder.”

Sullivan says the truck, which is typically housed at Fire Station 2 on Hamilton Road, reflects the Chapel Hill community’s commitment to its public safety workers, shown by their support of the bonds at the ballots.

“It really demonstrates the investment this community has in safety,” says Sullivan, “but also in firefighters and making sure they have the best equipment possible to do their job.”

Photo via Town of Chapel Hill.

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