Public safety agencies throughout Riverside County Thursday will resume deployment of emergency vehicles to visit nearly a dozen hospitals, with lights and sirens activated, for the annual “Operation Holiday Cheer,” saluting medical workers and patients.
“Participating agencies will gather outside local hospitals, filling parking lots with lights, sirens and holiday cheer to show appreciation to their fellow first responders and bring smiles to patients needing a little extra holiday spirit,” according to a statement released by the Peace Officers Research Association of California, which has organized the events since 2020.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, along with municipal law enforcement agencies and local fire departments, have joined the rolling fest, which ran for more than six hours Wednesday. The operation is set to restart at 11 a.m. Thursday, continuing until nearly 8 in the evening.
The following facilities will be visited at the times confirmed below Thursday:
— Menifee Valley Medical Center, 11 a.m.;
— Kaiser Hospital, Murrieta, 11:30 a.m.;
— Loma Linda University Medical Center-Murrieta, 11:45 a.m.;
— Rancho Springs Medical Center, Murrieta, 12:15 p.m.;
— Temecula Valley Hospital, 1:15 p.m.;
— Inland Valley Medical Center, Wildomar, 1:15 p.m.;
— Corona Regional Medical Center, 3 p.m.;
— Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, Riverside, 3:45 p.m.;
— Parkview Community Hospital, Riverside, 4:15 p.m.; and
— Riverside Community Hospital, 4:30 p.m.
Santa Claus and other Christmastime ambassadors will accompany first responders on the yuletide journey. Similar motorcades are set in Sacramento, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
Previous years events can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFkqQWW1SYY.