Conference 7.286::maynard

    
>    The parade will start off at the Digital Parking Lot off Route 27 
>    (Parker Street), left on Great Road, right on Main Street to Waltham
>    Street to the Maynard Rod & Gun Club, where the muster will be held.
    
    This sounds like an awful long parade route for this town. The
    centenial parade wasn't that long, was it? 
    
    call me pessamistic....
    Norma

    Hi Norma,
    
    The parade route is exactly three miles long. I clocked it myself.  From
    the entrance of PKO to I believe just about Great Rd and Sudbury St. is 
    about one mile. From there to Building 22 at the Mill on Main St., is 
    about two miles.  From there to the entrance to the Rod & Gun on Waltham 
    St. makes the total of three miles.
    
    One thing to remember, there will very little marching of people,
    mostly fire vehicles. 
    
    
    Regards,
    Ken Priest

Should make for a real traffic mess too. I think that any parade route that 
closes off Rt 27 South of the 117/27 intesection is a pretty poorly planned
route. Yes, I live on that section so I guess I'll get a front row seat for
the parade (and left over mess and damage - got to have something to do on
Sunday I suppose), but even if I didn't I'd still feel the same after seeing 
the result of tree falls along that route.

john

    First, I have received questions on what type of parade this will be. 
    It is not like the Centennial Parade in 1971.  People who have never seen 
    a fireman muster parade, and Maynard has not had a parade or muster like 
    this for over 12 years, will consist of fire apparatus such as ladder 
    trucks, fire engines, handtubs etc., only.  There are no floats, no big
    bands.  Basically, what you see at the beginning of the Christmas Parade is
    what this parade consists of except more trucks are expected.
    
    RE: 4 As of roads being closed.  This will happen no matter what type of
    parade or event that is celebrated in Maynard.  On this type of parade,
    the roads will only be closed when the trucks are on that particular
    road.  As of a real traffic mess, we are not expecting that much due to
    the parade being on a Sunday.
    
    RE: 4 Please let me know via this conference or E-mail on what type of left
    over mess and damage you are expecting. There is no literature to be handed 
    out or anything thrown from any truck during the parade, nor is there any 
    water to be sprayed from any truck.  So, there should be no litter or 
    damage to anyone's property along the parade route.  If there is such a 
    problem, please call the Fire Station at 897-1014.  The station will be in
    contact with people along the parade route.  
    
    RE: 4 I am sorry that I do not see the tie-in of "tree falls" and a 
    parade route, other than "tree falls" come unexpectedly during storms, 
    along with limited manpower at that time, and a parade route is pre-planned 
    with the proper manpower available to eleviate problems.
    
    Regards,
    Ken Priest, CFF
    Maynard Fire Department
    
    

If the parade is as small as all that (100th Anniversary had me envisionong
the kind of thing I saw in Boston where it seemed every department in the 
state was represented and I had to take the subway to cross the street in order
to leave town), then maybe my worries are quite misplaced. I suppose it would be
a good time for the house to burn, but not for any other type of emergency ;-}
Then you can ignore the rest of the reply, if it is supposed to last

Since parades use roads and since parades still can't suspend the laws of 
physics those roads will have to be closed to traffic of course. When planning
a route consideration is taken, if possible, for the free movement of citizens
and routes are typically planned for streets for which reasonable alternatives
exist onto which traffic can be re-routed without undue stress, delay, burden,
and confusion for all involved (residents, police, traveling public). In Maynard
this often has meant the use of Main Street which can be avoided by use of Rt 
117 and/or Summer Street. There really is no alternative for north/south traffic
on the stretch of 27 from the 27/117 intersection, south. There are the little
side roads back there, but they aren't really equiped to handle the traffic load
that Rt 27 bears. Finally being one that lives on Rt 27, and is faced with the
task of getting out of my drive onto Rt 27 everyday, even on Sunday, I can tell
you that traffic on Rt 27 might be more than what you expect, even on Sunday.

Also you will find Great Road to be well traveled at that time of year, 
especially on Sunday with people heading out to the orchids in Stow, and Bolton.
This route clearly ties up two major state routes in our area, plus Main Street,
and due to the nature of the road netwrok in the area, routes that carry a fair
volume since there aren't any reasonable alternatives to people that live in
and travel through the area.

The mess and damage I would expect would come from the spectators that will use
my property to view the parade and to park their vehicles. Whatever considera-
tion people have left for other people's property is suspended at such special
events it seems. During a normal week I'll get at least a half a barrel of 
litter to pick up, and at least 5 people using my property as a gateway to PKO.
Place a special event over there and people park, walk, toss, break wherever
they feel like it. Sorry so say it, but it isn't speculation, but experience
speaking.

A tree fall and a parade do the same thing, make the road impassable for a time.
Seeing the results on traffic from fallen tree, not during commuting hours - or
any other time when you'd expect traffic to be high volume, on Rt 27 gives some
idea of the potential for traffic tie ups in my opinion. Maybe not since there 
will be more manpower, but I don't what difference having a million men would
make, if the road is closed it is closed. What is all the available manpower 
going to do to change that?

At this date I am sure that everyone has decided that this is route, and all
permits and permissions have been recieved, and that members of the traveling
public that will be delayed, inconvenienced, and become lost will "get over it"
when they make to where they are going, and people who live along the route
won't mind not having the freedom to leave or return to their homes for a time
and they'll get over it too. So I am not protesting the route, or expecting
any changes, I am voicing my opinion that this route will have major impact on
traffic if the parade is of any significant length.

john

    As an afterthought, though it won't make any difference now, since
    there won't be another parade for a few years (2090?), My thoughts on
    the parade are:
    
    the route: 
    
    was a good choice for me, i got to see the parade in front of my house
    (rt 117) but the traffic tieups would have been a problem. the tieups
    were solved by:
    
    allowing vehicles going the other way to continue. This I thought was a
    bad choice for viewers of the parade, since we had to watch the parade
    through a stream of cars heading east on 117. I had planned to
    vidiotape the parade for the maynard historical society, which I did,
    but the whole effect of the parade was ruined by the eastbound cars. 
    By the time I realized that the eastbound cars were not going to be
    stopped, it was too late to cross the street without getting hit by a
    car or firetruck. So, the tape is a mash of quick shots that I could
    get between cars. 
    
    Allowing traffic to continue was also confusing for the traffic, since
    a lot of the cars were just passing through Maynard and seemed to be
    confused as to why so many trucks were on the road, and caught in a
    dilemma about whether to pull over or not.
    
    anyway, it was a good parade overall.
    
    
    edh.
    

    On behalf of Maynard Fire Department and the Maynard Fireman's Relief
    Association we would like to thank all who came out to watch and
    support our 100th Anniversary.  We hope you had a great time.
    
    As originally stated, the parade was supposed to start at 11:00A.  The
    parade did not start till 11:54A. The times were changed due to church 
    schedules and another event on Waltham St. that morning.  We were glad 
    in a way that the parade started at that time, due to we still had trucks 
    arriving just before parade time.  We were also glad to have the Maynard 
    Car Club join us in the parade.  This really showed town spirit.
    
    As of the traffic tie-ups, we were told by different people through out
    the town, that it was not that bad or at least not a nightmare for the 
    police.  The car problem on Great Rd. that were in the eastbound lane, 
    was not suppose to be.  With the side roads opened, some cars came out of 
    those roads, along with Great Rd. at Main St. not being shut down as 
    planned, and that created confusion.  That was something that could not be 
    helped, but we are remembering that problem for future parades.  I myself 
    saw cars pulling over wondering what was going on.  I was also told that 
    there were a few cars that pulled out in front of the fire engines and
    joined in the parade.
    
    As for trophies, they went to the following city/town:
    
    Longest Traveled Distance to Maynard:	Walpole
    Oldest Fire Engine Out of Service:		Weston
    Oldest Fire Engine Still In Service:        Stow
    Newest Fire Engine In Service:		Bedford (8 days old)
    
    For the prizes for the muster events, I do not have them with me at the
    moment.  I can tell you Maynard did not win.  As for the Muster Team, we 
    did our best.  We were disqualified in the reverse hose lay.  We came in 5th
    in the wet hose competition and lost the water polo compition.  For a
    bunch a guys who trained only three times before the muster we thought
    we did okay. We were also up against some good competition from towns that 
    do this all summer long.  
    
    Personally, I thought that there would not be too many people out on the 
    streets watching a bunch of fire trucks go screeching by.  Yes, sirens 
    sounding and air horns blowing do track attention.  When we turned off of 
    Parker St. onto Great Rd. and saw people in bunches waiting, waving, 
    clapping of hands, (and of course blocking there ears), I could not believe
    it.  The same as we turned onto Main St., through downtown, and even onto 
    Waltham St., and even at the end of the parade at the Rod and Gun Club.
    I remember going to one of my partners, and asking him did you ever expect
    to see a turnout like this, to watch a fire truck parade.  My partner could
    not believe it as well.  We guestamated around 250+ people at the Rod and 
    Gun Club while the events were going on.  
    
    We are hoping to have a parade and muster event next year.  The parade 
    route will not as long, and not in September.  We are hoping to have
    more of the handtubs and maybe a band.  With the support of the "Towns 
    People" and merchants this could not have been a celebration to remember.
    
    By the way, if anyone saw the judge that was blowing the horn at the
    start of the events, he is a retired Captain from Dracut Fire, and is
    just over 70 years old, and in his 43rd year being a judge at fire musters.
    Not bad........
    
    If anyone has any comments, we would appreciate them to help us plan
    for future parades amd musters.  Please reply to this confernce or to 
    AKOCOA::PRIEST.
    
    	Many Thanks Again,
    	Ken Priest, CFF
     	Maynard Fire Department
    

My son and I did enjoy the parade -- I can still hear it ringing in my ears..

I was surprised and delighted by the number of towns that sent their
beautiful machines -- a nice way of noting a centennial.

I couldn't make the festivities -- maybe next year...

[My kids didn't know about the muster or the anniversary.   I would have
 thought the school would have brought it up in class -- town history and
 all...  Did anyone contact the schools explicitly? ]

- dave

    Hi Dave,
    
    We did not even approach the school system.  When we were in the
    planning stages of the parade and muster, the kids were on summer 
    vacation.  Then school had just atarted up, so we left it at that.
    Our biggest time that the Fire Dept. has with the kids is during 
    Fire Prevention Week which is comming up next month.  Usually these 
    musters are during the summer months while to kids are on summer 
    vacation.  But, you brought up a good point.  I'll mention this to 
    the Chief, and maybe something could be done during Fire Prevention 
    Week.  
    
    Basically what we did was, sent out invitations to most cities/towns east 
    of Worcester, and west of the Waltham area.  We even sent some to New 
    Hampshire, Maine, and Rhode Island.  This was done due to previous 
    invitations by them when they have celebrated an event.  We knew that most 
    cities/towns in the Metro Boston area could not show up due to budget 
    restrictions.  That even happened to three towns just in this area.  Once 
    the invitations were sent out, we had posters made up and placed in most 
    of the downtown stores and along telephone poles througout the town.   Both
    local papers carried information about the parade and muster, along
    with a few brief paragraphs on the history of the Fire Dept.
    
    Glad you and your son enjoyed the parade.
    
    Regards.                                            
    

It's a little late, but I wanted to say how much my family and I enjoyed the
Fireman's Muster. 

I thought that the best part was one of the contests.  There are several hoses
laid out, end to end, each hose maybe 30 feet long, uncoupled.  Plus, there's
a nozzle next to the far end of the farthest hose, and a target a few feet
away. 

When the air horn blasts, the firefighters sprint off down the length of the
hoses.  Two stop at the end of the first hose, and connect it to the second.
Two more guys stop to connect the second to the third, etc., until one guy
connects the nozzle at the end.  The thing is, these guys are not just working
against the clock, but when they start running, the *water* starts pumping
down the hose, with a lot of force.  That means that if you're a little slow
getting the hoses coupled together, and the water reaches you... then you get
pretty wet, and the contest is quite entertaining. 

If they do it all right, and everything is connected, then the firefighter
holding the nozzle knocks the target over.  The crowd goes wild!!  All in 
about 14 seconds. 

What I found particularly interesting was that this was not only fun to watch,
but the skills involved are of real use at work.  I like the idea that the
firefighters can get their equipment ready in a few seconds. 

The kids liked the rides and contests.  My daughter won a poster throwing
darts. 

The event was also interesting from a political point of view, to see who showed
up and who didn't bother.  I presume that various officeseekers decided that
the crowd at the Muster was either full of their constituents or not.

I met the candidate whom I respect least.  Of course, I won't tell you his
name, but he is a probably the only municipal employee I've ever seen ride
around in a Mercedes.  A real man of the common people.

Anyway, the Muster was great fun, and we'll definitely go to the next one.

-Steve

    Steve, 
    
    A very good description of the Wet Hose Race.  Basically, each
    hose in that event was 50 feet in length, two and one-half inches in
    diameter, and the couplinks were made of brass. The target was 25 feet 
    away from the nozzle.  The pressure comming out of the nozzle, was about
    70 psi.  The nozzle that was used, was found in a building in Waltham,
    Mass. and dates back roughly around the 1930-1940 era.
    
    
    
    Glad you and your family enjoyed the day.
    
    Regards.               
    
        

    Time For Another One.....
    
    
    On Saturday, September 21, 1991 at 11:45AM, the Maynard Fire Department
    will hold its 2nd Annual Firemen's Parade and Muster.
    
    The parade will start off at the Digital Parking Lot off Route 27
    (Parker Street), left onto Great Road, right onto Main Street to
    Waltham Street, and onto the Rod & Gun Club, where the Muster will
    ne held.
    
    The Muster will take place at 1:00pm.  Events of the day will be;
    
    	Men's Wet Hose			Women's Wet Hose
    	Men's Reverse Wet Hose		Women's Bed Race
    	Men's Water Polo		Women's Water Polo
    
    There will be food and refreshments available at the Muster in the way
    of Hambugers, Hot Dogs, Chips, Pop Corn, Fried Dough, Soda, Coffee and Beer.
    
    Kiddie Rides and Games will be available too!!!
    
    (NO OUTSIDE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES WILL BE ALLOWED ON THE ROD & GUN CLUB
    GROUNDS AT ANY TIME DURING THE MUSTER.)
    
    
    Anyone having any questions, please feel free to contact me.
    
    Regards,
    Ken Priest, CFF
    Maynard Fire Department