The Jeffco Fire Engine Rally is 25 years old and still going strong.
This year’s rally, to be held on Saturday, Sept. 29, will begin as always with a parade of firetrucks and other emergency vehicles.
The parade will start at 9 a.m. at St. Pius X High School, 1030 St. Pius Drive, in Crystal City, and proceed northward on Hwy. 61-67 to Herculaneum City Park, 776 Joachim Ave., where the rest of the rally will be held.
Admission and parking are free.
The rally is sponsored by the Jefferson County Firefighters Association.
The parade’s grand marshal will be Rob Scrage, a captain with the Jefferson R-7 Fire Protection District.
“He’s had a lengthy service with the Firefighters Association and is the secretary,” said Bill Haggard, president of the Firefighters Association and chairman of the rally organization committee. Haggard has helped organize all 25 of the rallies.
“I’m the only one left of the original organizers, but Rob’s been with us a long time and has been involved with most of the rallies. He’s also been a dispatcher with the Missouri State Highway Patrol for about 15 years.”
Landon Wilson, 7, a first-grader at Hillsboro Primary School, was selected by the Missouri Burn Camp and Burns Recovered Support Group to be the junior grand marshal.
“It’s the first time we’ve had a junior grand marshal from Jefferson County,” Haggard said.
Once the parade reaches the park, at about 10 a.m., the rally will open with the presentation of colors by the Ozark Firefighters Association. Then, Shannon Jackson Coaley of Hillsboro will sing the national anthem, leading into a memorial ceremony for 10 firefighters and emergency medical service personnel who have died in the past year.
Those who will be honored include:
■ Eldred Arnold and Steven West of the Rock Community Fire Protection District.
■ Elva Asberry of the Antonia Fire Protection District.
■ William Bingham of the Crystal City Fire Department.
■ Caleb Douglas of the Festus Fire Department and Hematite Fire Protection District.
■ Joseph Geiler and Steven Irelan of the Goldman Fire Protection District.
■ Emil Heimos of the Mapaville Fire Protection District.
■ Wallace Huddleston of the Herculaneum Fire Department.
■ Curtis Speer of the Dunklin Fire Protection District.
Other awards also will be given out at the ceremony.
Haggard said three demonstrations are planned:
■ The St. Louis County Police Department’s K9 and ATF unit will give a demonstration at noon.
■ The Herculaneum Fire Department and St. Louis Fire Sprinkler Alliance will give a fire sprinkler suppression demonstration at 1 p.m.
■ The Crystal City Fire Department will demonstrate the capabilities of its new firetruck, a 115-foot Rosenbauer T-Rex articulating platform apparatus, at 1:45 a.m.
For the youngsters, the Fire Engine Rally will offer a bounce house and 20-foot inflatable slide; an inflatable bean bag game; scavenger hunts; a firefighter challenge and games; face paintings; a balloon artist; and visits with Smokey Bear.
The Rock Community Fire Protection District will bring its fire safety house, where children will learn how to escape a home fire.
A photo booth will be set up for adults and children.
In addition, children and adults will get close-up views of firetrucks and EMS vehicles.
The arrival of helicopters also is a highlight, Haggard said, with air rescue helicopters from ARCH Air Medical, Air Evac Lifeteam, Survival Flight scheduled to arrive between 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.
“Last year, two of the helicopters were diverted to a call and didn’t show up,” Haggard said. “These are emergency vehicles, and because of that, we’re dealing with factors you can’t always control.”
Firefighter competitions this year will include an ax-throwing contest and firefighters using rescue tools to play a large-scale version of Jenga.
“I think they’re using 4-by-4s,” Haggard said of the Jenga game.
State Fire Marshal Tim Bean is scheduled to talk about fire service in Missouri.
An awards ceremony will begin at 2:30 p.m.
This year’s rally will mark the return of the Dalmatian show, in which awards will be given to the largest and smallest of the breed, the dogs with the most and fewest spots, the best dressed and the best trick.
“We haven’t had the Dalmatian show for a few years, so we thought we’d try it again,” Haggard said.
The show is scheduled to start at 10 a.m., and, depending on the response, will be followed by a Dalmatian dress-up show for children and adults.
The Jefferson County Health Department will give away bicycle helmets to children while supplies last and also will screen children for lead through its wellness van.
“Jefferson County also will have its recycling trailer there for those who want to use that,” Haggard said.
Vendors will sell various firefighter-related items, and the organizing committee will sell official T-shirts. Food and drinks will be sold.
For information, call Haggard at 314-852-4964.