from Worcester Telegram:
From Wichita to Webster, police officers and other emergency responders across the country are the highlight of birthday parades for residents under stay-at-home orders during the COVID-19 pandemic.
But some local agencies, citing increased demand and the need to keep their ranks free to respond to emergency calls, are putting a halt to the procession.
The Holden Fire Department, in a Facebook post Monday morning, declared it would no longer join celebration parades.
“Due to the high demand requesting parades, we feel that it is not fair for us to do some parades and not be available to do others,” the department said.
“While we do feel honored to be requested to help celebrate such an important day for the kids, it has become too much for HFD to keep up with and it would be heartbreaking to not show up for a child/loved one that is expecting us,” the statement continued.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, with people stuck inside and birthday party plans being canceled, some police and fire departments have restored joy by parading past houses, with sirens blaring. In Webster on April 7, a procession of emergency vehicles made its way through North Village apartments, recognizing the 6th birthday of Valentina Garcia, who battles chronic lung disease. Her mother had planned a pool party. Still, it turned out to be a memorable birthday.
In Southbridge, the police and fire chiefs are saying no to the parade route.
Chief Shane D. Woodson said Monday the department was overwhelmed by 20 requests during the weekend. They even had requests for adult birthdays. Police and fire were able to accommodate some but not all requests, in part because of an increase in emergency calls for police services, Woodson said.
Some parents, after being told by police and fire command staff that they would participate in parades, promised their children, only for everyone to be disappointed, Woodson said.
“We made them that promise,” Woodson conceded. “Unfortunately, this weekend, with the weather getting warmer, we were overwhelmed with calls for service, not routine calls, but emergency calls for service.”
Southbridge Fire Chief Paul Normandin said: “It is very unfortunate. It’s very nice to see children and grandparents and parents on people’s lawns and in their homes, waving towards us. It’s important to the Fire Department and public safety personnel in regards to this situation ... And we at this point need to make an operational decision not to carry out in doing these events.
“Obviously, there will be towns around us that will still be doing this,” he said. “Unfortunately we’ve taken the role in the response that we will not do these events.”
