Spray and Play helps keep the community cool in Benton Harbor

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. -- A firetruck ladder and thousands of gallons of water, together, are one way to stay cool in this excessive heat.

Firefighters in Benton Harbor took the opportunity to organize an engaging, and refreshing event for the community. 

Using a fire hydrant connected to the city's water system, Benton Harbor hosted a "spray and play", serving two purposes.

Creating a space for community members to have positive interactions, while offering the fire department a chance to connect with residents in a relaxed, non-emergency setting.

"I think it's critical, because when we see the members of our community, we're going to an emergency. we're going to see them on the worst day of their life. so, for us, it's also very rewarding to come out here and engage with them like this, to see the kids smiling, giving them an opportunity to interact with us and learn a little bit more about what we do and who we are. And so we get to see each other as people, and we get to see them on a better day," stated Benton Harbor Firefighter Paul Delle.

And in the past two days, we're told, hundreds have come out to the spray and play to cool down.