TWIN CITIES: Yearly firefighter’s parade on tap Saturday

By Neale Gulley<br><a href="mailto:gulleyn@gnnewspaper.com">E-mail Neale</a>

For the 129th consecutive year this Saturday, both Twin Cities will take part in the annual firefighters parade, to be held in North Tonawanda this year.

“It’s a long standing parade. You know years ago in the glory days they had this on a Monday and the banks and the schools closed. That’s how big this was. There’s a lot of history involved in this parade,” City of Tonawanda Fire Chief Charles Stuart said.

Everything from antique trucks featuring bells to some of the city’s most cutting edge new apparatus will be featured in the parade, preceded by a ceremonial inspection at each house and followed by food and beer for firefighters and their families at Fireman’s Park on Two Mile Creek Road.

The regular event is expected to draw onlookers lining the streets to watch units set to step off at 2 p.m. at the corner of Robinson and Oliver streets.

About six units, their members, trucks and accompanying marching bands will fan out in several directions: south on Oliver street, west on Goundry, south on Webster; then, over the Renaissance Bridge before heading south on Main Street, east on Broad toward a reviewing stand to be set up in front of the American Legion Post 264 on Main Street.

“There are not a lot of things that are 129 years old,” Stuart said. “There may have been a lapse during World War I or World War II, we don’t have any official documentation on that.” Stuart said.

Around noon, elected officials and fire officials will inspect each department.

“Leading up to the inspection, every single piece of apparatus and every piece of equipment on the apparatus has been washed up cleaned and the trucks have been waxed,” he said.

In addition, each paid and volunteer member of each department will be expected to turn out in their neatly pressed uniforms.

In addition, two retired chiefs will feature in the parade this year.

Former North Tonawanda Chief David Rogge, and retired City Chief Thomas Miller will lead the parade.

A press kit on this year’s event also takes care to mention the several bands that will accompany the parade’s offshoots:

Sanborn marching band will accompany National Hose; Union Hook and Ladder has the Pine Hill Drum Corps, while Delaware Hose 2 has the original Tonawanda Clown band, which Stuart called a “fan favorite.”

“These guys, they’re great,” Stuart said. “They’re a crazy marching band.”

Niagara Hose Fire Company 3 will be accompanied by the Kendall Fire Company marching band.

Perhaps the only real change to the event this year involves the traditional celebration at Two Mile Creek Road, which will not be extended to the general public this year.

“The benevolent kind of freaked out so we had to take that out,” Stuart said. “They saw a copy of it and said ‘no we don’t want the public invited.”

The issue seems to center on the permit for having alcohol served, though it is not being sold.

“The insurance covers firefighters, I think that was one of the issues,” Stuart said. “It increases the liability.”

Contact reporter Neale Gulley at 693-1000, ext. 114.