Area first responders and health care professionals continued their tradition of asking Santa Claus to visit tri-state area schools before Christmas. His reindeer are resting up until the 24th, so Santa arrived at Sunrise Elementary School via a CareFlight helicopter, as children watched in delight.

Hundreds of Sunrise students received goodie bags with a Slinky from Western Arizona Regional Medical Center (WARMC), an airplane glider from the Laughlin-Bullhead International Airport, and important information from area fire departments reminding people to change smoke detector batteries.

Santa denied that he bore any resemblance to WARMC EMS manager Randy Sierra.

Coordinated every year by WARMC, other participants included the Bullhead City Police Department, Bullhead City, Ft. Mojave Mesa, Laughlin-Bullhead International Airport and Mohave Valley Fire Departments, Desert Lawn Funeral Home and Memorial Park, and Sunrise Hospital.