Families were invited to The Erie Zoo for their annual Equipment Day event.
It’s a day that allows children to get up close with heavy duty machinery. There were trucks that are seen on emergency calls, on construction sites and farms.
Kids were handed out plastic construction hats provided by Chick-fil-a Erie and were provided with handouts by Pro-Waste Services inc. and Chick-fil-a.
“In most situations when they see this equipment, they can’t approach it. You know it’s not safe. But we give them an opportunity in a safe environment with people watching and everything’s set up safely for them to be able to fully explore it and climb and not just in pictures or from afar,” said Emily Smicker, marketing & event coordinator for the Erie Zoo.
Smicker said this event is a unique way to engage the community at the zoo.