The 24th annual Jeffco Fire Engine Rally will be held Saturday (Sept. 30).
As always, the rally, sponsored by the Jefferson County Fire Fighters Association, will begin 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.
The parade grand marshal will be Art Kramer, retired battalion chief of the Antonia Fire Protection District.
“He was with Antonia for 42 years,” said Bill Haggard, chief of the Herculaneum Fire Department and president of the Fire Fighters Association, who has helped organize all 24 of the rallies. “He’s a longtime firefighter and is deserving of the honor.”
The junior grand marshal will be Kaleigh Dunahee, 13, of Collinsville, Ill., of the Missouri Burn Camp and Burns Recovered Support Group.
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 11 firefighters and emergency medical service personnel who have died in the past year.
“It’s been a bad year,” Haggard said. “We lost some good people, and some just in the last month.”
Those who will be honored include:
■ William Blumer, Stanley Johnson and Tillman Ratty, all of the Dunklin Fire Protection District.
■ Alvin Marschel and Richard Brown, both of the Goldman Fire Protection District.
■ Vincent Courtois of the Festus Fire Department.
■ Zachary Crowley of the Hillsboro Fire Protection District.
■ Virgil Hammer of the Jefferson R-7 Fire Protection District.
■ Carl Kraus of the Antonia Fire Protection District.
■ Delbert Shoults of the Hematite Fire Protection District.
■ Frank Umbdenstock of the Jefferson R-7 Fire Protection District and the Valle Ambulance District.
A special presentation will be made to the family of Umbdenstock, who was a longtime member of the Jeffco Fire Engine Rally committee.
“Now that Frank is gone, I’m the only one left from the original group,” Haggard said. “It’s been weird not having him here. The rally will definitely be different without him.”
Other awards also will be given out, and three demonstrations are planned:
■ Missouri Emergency Response Service will be doing a large animal rescue demonstration, probably at 11:30 a.m.
■ The Herculaneum Fire Department and St. Louis Fire Sprinkler Alliance will give a fire sprinkler suppression demonstration at 12:30 p.m.
■ The Crystal City Fire Department will give a sprinkler and hose appliance demonstration at 1:30 p.m.
■ A public obstacle course for those wanting to wearing full turnout gear and breathing apparatus will be set up all day. The course is sponsored by Sentinel Emergency Solutions of Arnold.
For the youngsters, the Fire Engine Rally will offer a bounce house and a 20-foot inflatable slide, scavenger hunts, a firefighter challenge and games, face paintings, a balloon artist and visits with Smokey Bear.
“New this year is rock painting,” Haggard said. “We’ll set up a tent, and the kids will be able to paint rocks. We’ll also have chalk art drawing on a driveway.”
The Rock Community Fire Protection District will bring its fire safety house, where children will learn how to escape a home fire.
A free photo booth will be set up for adults and children.
“The helicopters coming in are always a highlight,” Haggard said. “I don’t know how it’s still a novelty for all these years, but people like to see them come in.”
Air rescue helicopters from ARCH Air Medical, Air Evac Lifeteam, Survival Flight are scheduled to arrive between 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.
In addition, children and adults will get the chance to get close-up views of firetrucks and EMS vehicles.
Vendors will sell various firefighter-related items, and the organizing committee will sell official T-shirts. Food and drinks will be sold.
Admission and parking is free.
For information, call the Herculaneum Fire Department at 636-475-3080 or Haggard at 314-852-4964.