GRAND RAPIDS, MI – The Grand Rapids Griffins are combining hockey with emergency preparedness for a special event to kick off the New Year.

The team will partner with the city’s Office of Emergency Management to host an Emergency Preparedness Night during the Friday, Jan. 2 game against the Chicago Wolves at Van Andel Arena.

The event is aimed at getting residents to register for emergency alert notifications while raising awareness about community resilience. A text code will be displayed on the arena’s big screen and at tables throughout the venue.

Grand Rapids police and firefighters will be on hand to showcase their operations.

Members of the city’s Community Emergency Response Team will also be on hand to share their experiences with volunteering to support emergency preparedness.

“We want families to have fun while also thinking about how to stay safe in an emergency,” Benjamin Rance, Grand Rapids emergency management administrator, said.

The first 300 families in attendance will receive a free starter emergency kit. There will be emergency vehicle displays and raffles for full-size emergency preparedness backpacks.

For more information about the game, visit griffinshockey.com.

To sign up for Grand Rapids emergency alerts, visit grandrapidsmi.gov/EmergencyAlerts.