Firefighters are known for extinguishing fires but on Hilton Head Island, they are also known for spreading holiday joy each December. From decorating Fire Station 3 to Santa and Sirens, and hosting a Santa’s Mailbox at each fire station, the firefighters help make Hilton Head a magical place to experience throughout the holiday season.
Kenzie Hrobar serves as the marketing and communications specialist for Hilton Head Fire Rescue. “All year long, we deliver help when it’s needed most,” she said. “At Christmastime, we deliver holiday magic.”
Fire Rescue Fleet Manager Keith Tison and Senior Fire Inspector Danielle Tison assist in decorating Fire Station 3 for the Holiday Light Display.
Thanks to planning, hard work, and patience, the crew at Fire Station 3 transforms it into a merry and magical drive-through experience. This tradition started more than 20 years ago when all of the island’s fire stations competed to see which one could create the best holiday lights and decoration display. The firefighters at Fire Station 3, led by Lt. Scott Lowther, Fire Apparatus Operator Doug Hubbard, and Senior Firefighter Robert Scott, were determined to win the competition. They recruited extra decorators and worked hard to claim the victory.
Every December since securing the win, the team at Fire Station 3 decorates the exterior of the building with lights, inflatables, and animated creatures to create the colorful experience. The display is free and open to the public all month.
Fire Station 3 glows with holiday lights as the community gathers for the Station Lighting event.
Lt. John Majorkiewicz has been at Fire Station 3 since 2017. “Community and visitors look forward to the decorations every year and sometimes plan their vacation in order to see the lights,” he said. In 2024, almost 8,000 cars visited the fire station to enjoy the month-long visual spectacle.
“We’re often responding to our community in a time of tragedy or sickness, whatever it might be, so to be able to bring joy in a different aspect, is something that is very important to us,” Hrobar said. “We know that the Christmas lights do that for the community. To be able to welcome them in and interact with us and see us in a different way is really important.”
Annual preparations begin in early October by unloading the storage trailer, checking for broken lights, organizing decorations, and coming up with a decoration layout plan. All this hard work is completed by the station’s firefighters between responding to emergency calls, required training, continuous public education events, and other commitments.
Additional groups help with the big effort, with installation assistance from Fire Rescue administration employees, funds and support from the Town of Hilton Head Island, the Hilton Head Firefighters’ Association (HHFA), and help with decoration removal from Boy Scout Troop 245. It’s estimated that about 1,000 people-hours are needed each year to hang the strands of lights, set up outdoor decor, and make the remaining magic happen.
Fire Rescue partners with The Deep Well Project to collect unwrapped toys and nonperishable food from the community to be distributed to families across the island. Donations can be dropped off at the outdoor collection area next to Fire Station 3.
Financial donations can also be made to the Hilton Head Firefighters’ Association (HHFA) to support the holiday light display and many other community programs. HHFA is a nonprofit organization that fundraises through community outreach to give back to the community through local charities and programs.
Santa makes his way through Shelter Cove during one of Fire Rescue’s Santa & Sirens routes.
Santa and Sirens and Santa Mail
Another popular island-wide contribution from Fire Rescue is Santa and Sirens. Started in 2017, the Christmas tradition features Santa riding on a fire engine all over Hilton Head Island on various nights in December. Neighbors often gather with hot cocoa on street corners to wave at Santa and watch the brightly decorated fire vehicles pass by. Santa’s helper, Senior Firefighter Gabe Yacso said, “I make it a point that every house gets a wave, a ‘Merry Christmas,’ and a “Ho ho ho.’”
Santa and Sirens kicks off on December 1 this year. The nightly schedule and routes are posted on the Hilton Head Fire Rescue social media accounts. A new Santa Tracker tool, the Glympse app, will help residents and visitors keep an eye on Santa’s arrival time at their location. His route begins each night at 5:30 p.m.
Throughout December, each fire station is equipped with a Santa mailbox where children of all ages can write and deliver a letter to Santa. Letters that include a return address might receive a response from the big man himself. “Every letter dropped into a Fire Rescue Santa Mailbox carries a little Christmas magic,” Hrobar said. “We make sure each one finds its way to the North Pole – and back again.”
Holiday Fire Prevention Tips
Unfortunately, a rise in preventable fires happens each winter. The Keep the Wreath Green campaign works to bring awareness to prevent fires from occurring.
Here are some important fire prevention reminders from the Hilton Head Fire Rescue:
• Never leave food unattended when cooking; keep your stove clear of clutter; and clean any grease buildup.
• Remember to always keep your grills clean and at least 10 feet away from your home.
• Never dispose of cigarettes, hot embers, or electronic devices with batteries in trash cans. These items can easily ignite trash and cause a fire to spread rapidly.
• Provide fresh water to your Christmas tree frequently.
• Never use extension cords for appliances or space heaters.
• Remember that space heaters need space. Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet away from any heat source.
• Avoid the use of candles in the bedroom and other areas where people may fall asleep. Extinguish all candles when you leave a room.
For more information about any of these holiday events, visit hiltonheadislandsc.gov/firerescue, follow Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue on Facebook or @HHIFireRescue on Instagram.
