Senior citizens can receive free crime, fire and healthprevention tips and health services during the fifth semi-annualSenior Citizens Fall Festival.

The festival is sponsored by TRIAD, a partnership among theLincoln County Sheriff’s Department, Brookhaven Police Departmentand AARP. TRIAD is partially funded by the state through traffictickets, with $1 of each citation issued in the county earmarkedfor the program.

Wednesday’s event, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Multi-PurposeBuilding, is an opportunity for seniors to receive freeblood-pressure checks and glucose testing while enjoying a freemeal and local entertainment provided by area groups andchurches.

“This is to get the senior citizens out,” said Millard Smith, aTRIAD spokesman. “We provide a meal during the time they’ll bereceiving these free services.”

Informational booths, staffed by volunteers, will provide tipson crime and fire prevention and health-related issues. Booths alsowill be available to sign up seniors for several TRIAD programsdesigned specifically for them, such as “Are You OK?”

“Are You Ok?” was designed to help safeguard seniors from crimeand provide medical assistance if necessary, Smith said.

“They’re called every morning by a computer, and if they don’tanswer an officer is dispatched to their residence to check onthem,” he said.

Seniors also may register for the program before or after thefestival by calling 835-5502.

At the festival, seniors will be able to sign up for a TRIADprogram that provides free smoke alarms and their installation.

New to this event is a bake sale to raise funds for the localTRIAD. All of the money raised will stay with the countyorganization, Smith said.

“This is the first time we’ve tried that, so we’re not sure howwell it will go,” he said. “We hope to raise a fair amount.”

Smith estimated approximately 150 seniors attended the lastfestival in January.