Carmel FD Parade Cancelled - Cost & Lack of Interest

[spike2231 38]

Just so you know the Carmel FD parade scheduled for June 10th, 2011 has been cancelled due to lack of interest by invited depts. The main reason I am hearing is the cost of bands has gone though the roof and depts have to make cuts somewhere.

Carmel was the second in Putnam to not have a parade this year. Lake Carmel elected to not have theirs earlier this year. Who is next?

[JBE 328]

Wow, bummer. The times they are a changing.

[99subi 121]

I think its a good idea. More dept should follow suit and save some freakin money for equipment.

[x129K 1,393]

Sad, but the wave of the future.

[grumpyff 1,159]

Maybe instead of holding a lightly attended parade every year, they could hold it once every five years. I am not speaking just of Carmel, but all departments that still have parades. I have seen how much my department spent for bands to attend parades, and,it was disgusting. Especially when you saw how few members attended to march.

[x129K 1,393]

Maybe instead of holding a lightly attended parade every year, they could hold it once every five years. I am not speaking just of Carmel, but all departments that still have parades. I have seen how much my department spent for bands to attend parades, and,it was disgusting. Especially when you saw how few members attended to march.

I agree - my department was debating the very same topic at the recent meeting...we pay a band..and don't get much over a dozen guys in the street. I come from a very proud department with roots deep in the competitive side of the parades, and it is sad to see A. The lack of interest and attendance from members, and B. firemen parades getting phased out due to lack of attendance.

I know...I know...parades are useless, a waste of money and resources, potentially put taxpaying residents at risk, and that other doom, gloom, and happy crap...I REALLY do get it and somewhat agree..as I have stated in the past - I am against long distance parades, like Lake George...but I am 100 percent for, and take off of work to march in local, or mutual aid parades.

My department still has a fireman's parade and carnival, and it is a BIG deal...MANDATORY work nights...and not just be there - you WORK. Everyone pitches in regardless of rank, seniority, and class...the community appreciates it, the attending departments appreciate it..

Sorry to get off topic - but I hate to see parades coming to an end...and there is no doubt, the end is near.

[texastom791 31]

There was talk at the meeting about possibly seeing if the other departments that host parades in the county wanted to get together and hold like a county wide parade in Carmel next year. We only started having a parade again last year due to our approaching 100th anniversary.

[gamewell45 258]

My department hasn't had a parade in over 10 years now I think. Tough to attract fire departments to come to your parade when your main audience is cows, horses and cornfields.

[JetPhoto 626]

Another factor these days is the general public just doesn't care about the fire Dept's like they use too. Now if you close the road for 5 minutes at a car wreck they start cursing at you. Now shut several roads down for a parade and imagine the cursive thoughts.

Granted there are a few places that still support the fire Dept's & parades but it's not like it used to be.

[Task Force 7 65]

What is the purpose of a Fire Dept. Parade? Being from Texas, I have never ever been to one. We may have a few fire trucks in a July 4th parade, or Christmas parade. Otherwise we don't have such things like that down here. The only time you would see several dozen firetrucks driving down the road together would be for a firefighter funeral. So I'm just curious because I know they seem to be a common practice up in PA, NJ,and NY.

[JBE 328]

Usually, IIRC, they were held to kick off, or wind up, the carnivals departments held. I can remember going to the Carmel parade, then the carnival when I was a kid. Maybe hitting the Mahopac, or Patterson one as well. I can remember the whole front yard of Carmel FD, or the parking lot over by Shop Rite filled with rides. And the parking lot at Carmel High filled with rigs. For a 13, 14 year old kid, it was one of the best ways to meet your friends, or hook up with members of the opposite gender.

When I was an explorer in Lake Carmel, I went to just about every one. When I was a Firefighter, I went to the ones I could in between my job, or military service. I never thought about a lot of the concerns that have been brought up on this site when it came to coverage, cost, etc. IMHO, with the economy still tanking, gas prices going up, and the lack of interest, I think this is a trend that's going to grow.

Tom, I like the idea of a countywide yearly parade. I think that's what you're going to see in the future. PS, if you guys have one for your centennial. I will be there.

TF I hope I explained it well enough for you. There are still parades for certain holidays where one may get a few rigs and members from local departments. They are still pretty big deals out on Long Island. A lot of the guys I work with talk about the big ones in this town or that town.

Edited May 16, 2011 by JBE