In my town of Falls Church, the fire department tricks out its big truck with Christmas lights one night every year, and they slowly drive through town, with the siren running. Santa sits in a sleigh on top of the truck, waving at everyone, while the firefighters walk along each sidewalk, handing out candy canes and fire-safety flyers.
I had never heard of anything like this before I moved here. It’s not even widely known around the DC area. Does this happen anywhere else?
Minus the safety fliers (kids get theirs at school) it is exactly the same here (upper Caribbean booonies).
Do you mean Christmas trucks or alternate modes of Santa travel in general?
Our Santa occasionally travels by ATV. It’s so mullet.
I’m originally from Anchorage, my dad was a firefighter back in the 70s, and they did this as well. I don’t know if they still do it or not.
I’m in Indiana, and the Christmas parade always has Santa riding on a fire truck.
It’s always been that way, and it’s nothing unusual.
Rural Middle Tennessee here. As part of the Christmas parade, one Santa was always holding on to the back of the one of the fire trucks. The top pf the truck was always filled with kids. The"real" Santa had a sleigh on a float (flat bed trailer) at the end of the parade.
I’m in GA, and have seen parades in 3 different towns here. Every time Santa is on a fire truck at the very end of the parade, throwing out candy.
Here in Southern Merrylande - specifically St. Mary’s county, the VFD will drive thru the neighborhoods with sirens a-blarin’, lights a-flashin’, and Santa sitting atop one of the fire trucks. I don’t know if they hand out anything because all we do is look out the window to figure out what all the ruckus is.
I didn’t see it this year, but I don’t know if they canceled the practice, missed our neighborhood, or it happened one night when we were out. I can tell you it scared the puddin’ outta me the first time, since I’d never experienced such a thing before, but I’m told it’s a big deal with rural VFDs.
A fire truck? That’s posh. In my village, we have Santa sitting on a trailer being towed by a tractor.
My old department did this, sans lights and si-reens. We’d make up goodie bags of assorted candy with either an apple or orange, and give them to the kids. Since it was a very small town, 40 or so bags did the job.
It was the most fun duty I ever pulled.
Philadelphia Main Line, early 1960s: Santa on the fire truck every year. I loved it, esp. the free candy canes.
I don’t know if they still do it, but the firefighters in Savage, Maryland did it at least once a number of years ago. (I don’t know if they handed anything out, though.)
Upstate NY, though we are not rural at all. But the fire department is within walking distance, so they ride through our neighborhood. I think it’s cool, but I know it’s not really for me - it’s for all of the people they know in the neighborhood that have worked for the fire department for umpteen years.
Fire departments in my experience have always been very insular and this one is no exception.
Still, it is pretty and fun. 
I’ve seen ‘fishing santa’ - it’s in honor of the fishing/crabbing fleet.
The small town in NJ I grew up in did this. I just figured that the Hess Truck starts 'em & Santa puts 'em out…
They do it up here in Montgomery Co., although I haven’t seen Santa yet this year.
Every town I’ve lived in except southern California has done this, both municipal and volunteer companies.
I was a volunteer firefighter in Woodbridge, VA and we did this. I’ve also seen it done in other towns in Virginia. It’s a good way to do some public outreach for fire safety and kids like Santa and firetrucks.
I’m from Arlington, VA and live in Burke (in southern Fairfax county) and haven’t seen this, though my family never really went to parades very much so take my input with a grain of salt.
Tangentially, when I saw the thread’s title, all I could think of was this horrible old movie. (I saw it last week and it still haunts me.)
In the mountains of Eastern Kentucky, we have the annual Santa Train, but I think that’s pretty unique. Here is town we have Santa on the fire engine like everyone else.
