by Marianne Christy
The firefighters’ parade up Main Street is always a highlight of the Old Forge Fire Department’s annual Drill School, with hordes of spectators lining the street to watch participants in their dress uniforms march along with their department’s fire-fighting apparatus.
The winners of this year’s parade were:
Men’s Category
Best Appearing Department with Music: Lyncourt Fire Department/Syracuse Kilties
Best Appearing Department without Music:
1st – Town of Colonie Emergency Services Shaker Road/Fuller Road/Loudonville
2nd– Wesmoreland Fire Department
3rd – Oriskany Fire Department
Best Saluting Officer Men: Verona Fire Department
Women’s Category
Best Appearing Ladies Auxiliary:
1st Shaker Road – Loudonville
2nd – Oriskany
3rd – Chatham
Best Saluting Officer Ladies Auxiliary: Chatham
Most Men in Line: Town of Colonie Emergency Services
Longest Distance Traveled: Goodwill Fire Department
Oldest Apparatus: Forestport Fire Department
Best Appearing Antique Apparatus: Westmoreland Fire Department
Best Appearing Appartus Over All: Penfield Fire Department
Best Appearing Veterans Group: Old Forge Covey-Pashley American Legion Post #893
Pushball: 1st – Old Forge; 2nd – Cicero #1; 3rd – Belgium #1; 4th – Cicero #3
As hosts of the event, Old Forge Fire Department deferred its first place win to Cicero #1.