Fultondale residents will get a chance to meet local public safety personnel at the upcoming National Night Out at Target.

National Night Out will be Aug. 3 in the Target parking lot from 6-8 p.m. Fultondale police officers, firefighters and military members will be at Target to meet the public.

“It’s great for the city of Fultondale to do this together, and show that they’re coming together against crime,” said Megan Hudson, a Target representative helping to organize the event. “By having police and firefighters in the public eye, we’re hoping to start crime prevention at a young age.”

Although the public is welcome, National Night Out is particularly designed to familiarize children with police, firefighters and military members.

This is National Night Out’s 27th year, but it is the first time the event will be held in Fultondale.

“I think it’s a good idea because when I was younger, I always had questions like, ‘what does the police department really do,’ or ‘what does the fire department really do,’” said Kari Chamblee, a human resources representative for Target who helped organized the Fultondale National Night Out. “I wasn’t always comfortable going up and talking to them. If I was lost, or something were to happen, how comfortable would I be talking to them or approaching them? This is an opportunity for children to meet police officers, fire department and military.”

There will also be live music, giveaways, food, prizes, face-painting, and other activities. Everything is free of charge.

The store is considering putting together a drug fact sheet, and is considering setting up a child ID program for the event as well.

National Night Out was created by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW), a non-profit crime prevention organization that works in cooperation with crime watch groups and law enforcement agencies. This is the sixth year Target has partnered with NATW. For more information about NATW, visit www.nationalnightout.org.