After watching weather forecasts calling for heavy rain Dec. 18, Western Salisbury Volunteer Fire Company crew members decided to brace for the forecast and go ahead with their announced annual Santa run through neighborhoods surrounding the company’s Swain Station in the western portion of the township.

Firefighters occupied themselves the evening before the Santa run with the construction of an improvised canopy under which Santa and Mrs. Claus could be protected from the expected rainfall on the bed of the fire company’s antique fire engine. While it was cool and damp during the Santa run, the threatened rainfall was light and misty.

Santa’s helpers, fammembers of the fire crew, enthusiastically dressed warm and clambered aboard the fire company’s five pieces of apparatus for the neighborhood tour which took about six hours.

As was the case in 2020, COVID-19 uncertainties prompted the crew to content themselves with a lights and sirens nonstop run to hand out candy canes and dog biscuits.

Part way through the run, electrical problems prompted Santa, Mrs. Claus and the Grinch to switch from the antique engine to a perch on the turntable platform of the fire company’s aerial ladder truck.

Volunteer firefighters are well adept at dealing with unforeseen circumstances.

Fire company engineers stayed behind at the Swain Station to troubleshoot the electrical problems. They were able to get the engine repaired and back on the road with the familiar old engine for the last leg of the run.

Continuing an annual tradition, Katie Wells, wife of chief Joshua Wells, had hot chocolate and cookies waiting for the crew at the Wells household about two-thirds through the day’s route.

As darkness closed the annual Santa run, lights and sirens along the way brought youngsters, parents and pets out to driveways to wave and shout hellos for the annual holiday tradition.