TowerDIRECT holds Teddy Bear Clinic in West Reading

May 22—Sienna Mei was all smiles Wednesday morning.

The 5-year-old had just stepped off an ambulance parked outside the Child Development Center at Reading Hospital in West Reading, fresh off a quick checkup.

It wasn't for herself, however. It was for her little buddy, Squirrely.

"I checked his heart, his ears, his eyes," she said, holding the small, red and white stuffed animal squirrel above her head. "He's really good."

Sienna was thrilled that Squirrely got a clean bill of health, and was excited to have gotten a chance to get a glimpse inside a real-life ambulance.

"I was excited," she said. "I liked the stretcher."

Sienna was one of dozens of preschool age kids who got up-close looks at emergency vehicles Wednesday as part of a special event. To celebrate National EMS Week and Emergency Medical Services for Children Day, TowerDIRECT held a Teddy Bear Clinic at the child care center.

The second annual event gives kids a chance to tour an ambulance and get a checkup for one of their favorite stuffed animals.

Chelsie Ober, manager of emergency preparedness and EMS outreach at Tower Health, said the event is meant to help make kids comfortable with ambulances.

"It's just to kind of help with any fears they may have," Ober said. "If they have to ride in one, or if their parents or guardian does and they have to ride along, we don't want them to be scared."

Brad Cosgrove, director and chief of EMS at TowerDIRECT, said much the same about the event.

"The idea is to make sure that, God forbid they need us, that they're not scared when we get there," he said.

Cosgrove said he knows a little something about that. He has a vivid memory of when he was a child and an ambulance showed up at a restaurant where he was eating with his parents.

"I remember being terrified," he said, joking that he's obviously gotten over it. "It's come full circle. Now I've spent decades around ambulances."

Cosgrove said his story is also a secondary aspect of Thursday's event. Along with alleviating fears, he said the visit by the ambulance may help some kids start to think about careers in health care.

That may just have happened for Conner Derenzo.

The 5-year-old said he thought the ambulance was cool because of all the cool stuff that was inside. And, he was able to get his stuffed rabbit, Bunny Bunny, checked out while he checked out that cool stuff.

"His ear was hurting because he fell and hit his ear," he said. "They checked out his heart. I think he's OK, but it still hurts."

While Bunny Bunny was still ailing a bit after his visit to the ambulance, Panda was feeling great.

His friend, 5-year-old Eloise Young, said she was excited Panda got a chance to lay on the bed inside the emergency vehicle for a checkup. And she was thrilled it went well.

"Yeah, he's good," she said. "Everything was OK."