Photo: City of Kamloops

MP Frank Caputo visits RCMP Supt. Jeff Pelley and Kamloops Fire Rescue Chief Ken Uzeloc in their cell during Emergency Services Day's jail and bail fundraiser outside the Sandman Centre.

An inaugural jail and bail fundraiser held on Emergency Services Day earlier this month has raised $6,500 for charity.

Three organizations — the Kamloops chapter of Special Olympics BC, Kamloops Search and Rescue and the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund — will share the donations.

The City of Kamloops event on May 11 drew more than 300 attendees to the parking lot of the Sandman Centre where they visited with various first-responder organizations that serve Kamloops, learning about their jobs and the equipment and vehicles they use.

Various dignitaries and emergency service personnel participated in t he jail and bail fundraiser. Each person was handcuffed and placed in a makeshift holding cell with an hour time limit to reach their “bail” which would go to the charities. Those who couldn’t rally the funds were faced with a trip to the dunk tank on a hot spring day.

Individuals "arrested" for the Jail and Bail fundraiser included Fire Chief Ken Uzeloc, and RCMP Supt. Jeff Pelley. The event closed out Emergency Preparedness Week.

City of Kamloops Community Services Supervisor Tracey Elias told Castanet the event enables the public to familiarize themselves with emergency services, which is important to their own safety.

“Knowing what’s available to support you in a crisis, who’s there for you and how to get in contact with them,” she said.

"When you come down here you realize there are so many supports for us here in Kamloops, which is amazing."