Fort Drum highlights school safety, autumn activities during community forum

FORT DRUM, N.Y. (Sept. 2, 2026) -- Fort Drum officials and community members gathered Sept. 2 inside The Peak for the monthly Community Information Exchange to share updates affecting Soldiers, families and civilian employees on post.

With children returning to the classrooms this week, safety was a key topic of discussion at the CIE.

• Operation Safe Stop: Fort Drum Directorate of Emergency Services will have a heightened presence around designated school bus stops during morning and afternoon hours from Sept. 2 through Sept. 18. Officers are targeting speeding, failure to stop for school buses, and overall traffic safety violations.
• Parents are encouraged to update their contact information in the Parent Square notification system to receive alerts regarding emergencies, delays or early dismissals.
• CYS Operations and Relocation: The Fort Drum Child and Youth Services announced that Parent Central Services has moved to its new office in the CYS Administration Building on North Riva Ridge Loop.
• Fort Drum Fire and Emergency Services will host an open house Oct. 8 at Fire Station #2, Bldg. 1585 on Ontario Avenue for National Fire Prevention Week. It is open to the public from 5 until 7 p.m. Oct. 8, and those registered with the Exceptional Family Member Program are invited to attend at 4 p.m.

Fall activities

As the leaves begin to turn, community members can look forward to a full slate of seasonal activities, to include:

• Fall Fest: The annual Fall Fest will take place at the Monument Ridge Sledding Hill on Indigo Way, from 4 until 6 p.m. Sept. 24, featuring a live performance by the 10th Mountain Division Band, a kid-friendly haunted trail, food, and other fun activities.
• Holiday Triple Crown Run Series: Soldiers and families can look forward to three upcoming themed races – the Spooky Dash on Oct. 24, Turkey Trot, Nov. 26, and Ugly Sweater 5K, Dec. 12.
• Trunk or Treat: FMWR’s popular Halloween event is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. Oct. 23 at the sports fields parking lot behind Magrath Sports Complex.
• Fall sports registration continues until Sept. 11 at the Fort Drum Child and Youth Services’ Sports and Fitness Center, for soccer, T-Ball, flag football, archery league, intramural volleyball and Run Club.

Community Support Programs

Fort Drum’s robust support network continues to provide invaluable resources for families, ranging from blood drives to a new designated driver program.

• Thrift Shop Winter Coat Drive: To help families prepare for the North Country winter, the Fort Drum Thrift Shop is hosting a coat distribution event. Valid military or dependent ID card holders can receive one free coat for every dependent present at the event. Pick-up dates are from 9:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. Oct. 3, and Nov. 7, in Bldg. 1454 on 4th Street West.
• American Red Cross Blood Drives: Following a goal-breaking drive by the 41st Engineer Battalion – marking the largest blood drive at Fort Drum in 10 years – the Red Cross has scheduled three upcoming blood drives: Sept. 18, 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., at Guthrie Army Health Clinic; Sept. 25, 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the UAS Conference Room (Flight Line); and Oct. 5, noon to 5 p.m. at the BOSS Center
• Drunk Driving Prevention Program (DDPP): The DDPP offers a free and confidential ride-home service for military ID card holders and their vehicles on weekends and holidays from 8 p.m. until 3 a.m. Dispatch can be reached at 315-563-3222.

For more information on the program and how to volunteer, visit http://www.ddpp.us and follow https://www.facebook.com/FtDrumDDPP/. For a related news article, visit http://www.dvidshub.net/news/573771/mission-first-safety-always-fort-drum-volunteer-led-designated-driver-program-keeps-soldiers-safe.

• My Army Post App (MAPA): Community members are encouraged to download the free My Army Post App to stay informed and engaged with installation activities. People can use MAPA to navigate to event locations, find agency contact information, links to submit work orders and schedule medical appointments, and receive real-time weather and emergency alerts. A new chatbot feature makes it even more user-friendly. Community members can find instructional videos on how to use MAPA at http://www.youtube.com/@10thMountainDivision/playlists.
• Fall Into Education Fair: The Fort Drum Education Center will host an education fair from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Oct. 15 at the Post Exchange. Attendees can connect with colleges, universities, and training programs from across the country.
• VA Ribbon-Cutting: The Guthrie Army Health Clinic will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 16 to welcome the Department of Veterans Affairs clinical office inside the Guthrie Specialty Care Clinic.

The CIE livestream is available for a limited time on https://www.facebook.com/drum.10thmountain/, with the next meeting scheduled at 10 a.m. Oct. 7 inside The Peak.