First Responders in the Santa Clarita Valley were invited to the Canyons Theater Guild Saturday evening for free Bar-B-Que and tribute concert performed by Santa Clarita’s own country star Savannah Burrows.

Savannah Burrows singing at the First Responders Tribute Concert

KHTS Radio and The Signal teamed up to thank emergency responders from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, California Highway Patrol and Los Angeles County Fire Department with a barbeque, and concert at the Canyon Theatre Guild.

Many representatives from fire and law enforcement arrived on the scene to enjoy this occasion with Santa Clarita Valley residents.

“You don’t see these things happen that much, but when it does it’s a really really warm feeling.” said Officer Josh Greengard from CHP Newhall. “It is a tough world, but things like this make it better.”

Better than most situations Santa Clarita’s emergency responders have faced over the past few months, including a four-person murder-suicide and two separate incidents in which a deputy from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station were shot and a detective was stabbed.

Officer Greengard of the California Highway Patrol answers questions for reporters

“I put this uniform on, and I want to take it off in one piece,” said Greengard, talking about the risks emergency responders face every day.

Captain Robert Lewis of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, was in attendance with deputies from the Santa Clarita Sheriff’s station to witness Savannah Burrows in concert.

Savannah Burrows with her 5 piece band performed before a filled theater on Main Street in Newhall to thank first responders with her signature country sound.

Numerous tunes were belted out of the West Ranch teen, but none more memorable when she closed with ‘God Bless America’ as the crowd sang along. 

Bob Keller, leading the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Representatives from local, city and state government joined the community to show their appreciation for all first responders do for the Santa Clarita Valley.

Bob Keller, Santa Clarita City Councilman, led the audience in The Pledge of Allegiance at the event and personally thanked the First Responders for their service to the community.

Emergency responders were not the only honorees at the event. Two families who lost their homes to the Creek Fire and Thomas Fire had the chance to meet Santa Clarita responders face to face, and receive an unexpected gift.

Firefighters from local firehouse serving the Santa Clarita Valley at the Canyons Theater Guild

“We’re very appreciative of what (the emergency responders) did,” said Cindy Pharis a Sylmar resident and Valencia High School teacher who lost her home to the Creek Fire. “They were not able to save my home, but my home very easily could have burned into my neighbors homes, and I love them so much, and I’m so glad they were able to stop that and keep most people safe.”

Later in the night, Cindy Pharis and the family of former Santa Clarita deputy Mike Shapiro, whose family lost their Ojai home in the Thomas Fire, each received a $5,000 reward in credit from a Royal Suite Home Furnishings and an additional $10,000 from the Southern California Gas Company, split between the two of them. The donations for Pharis and Shapiro totaled to $10,000 in credit each to buy new furniture at a Royal Suite Home Furnishings for their new homes.

As Santa Clarita’s only local radio station, KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and sign up for KHTS email and text alerts today!