Firetrucks and an ambulance responded to Lehigh Valley Hospital, Salisbury Township, on Dec. 20 but there wasn’t an emergency situation.

The first responders were delivering hundreds of teddy bears collected by the students and staff of Greenwich Elementary School, Krumsville, Berks County.

Classmates and teachers at the school had a communitywide teddy bear drive to honor the memories of Conner Snyder, 8, and his sister, Brinley, 4, from Albany Township, who died on Sept. 26 in the hospital.

The siblings allegedly had died at the hands of their mother Lisa Rachelle Snyder, who has subsequently been charged with first- and third-degree murder.

The bears and other stuffed animals were donated for children receiving care in Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital.

Kempton Fire Chief Matthew Brett spoke with The Press about the donations.

“It was a pretty amazing event,” Brett said. “Some of the things that transpired over the last couple of months have put a deep emotional toll on our first responders.”

Brett said the event was definitely a great start to the holiday season and has been a great thing for the first responders to help heal their scars from the tragedy.

He said they collected more than 3,600 bears and the children at the school helped load them into the Kempton and Kutztown firetrucks and two Kutztown ambulances for the trip to the children’s hospital.

Brett said he hopes these bears will help perk up the children in the hospital.

“This was a great event not only for the hospital but for the first responders and the community in general,” Brett said.

He was asked what it was like unloading more than 3,000 bears.

“It was amazing,” he replied. “We probably had at least 25 first responders help unloading the bears.”

Jessica Waidelich of Kempton, Conner and Brinley’s cousin, also spoke with The Press.

She said Conner and Brinley were inseparable and loved each other very much.

“I know the kids see this (bear donation),” Waidelich said. “We are so happy for the outpouring of support for the children.

“The community has outdone themselves and we feel so loved for the children.”