McClure wants to ride new fire truck in parade

October 19, 1999|By DAN KULIN /Staff Writer

Hagerstown City Councilman J. Wallace McClure wants to ride a new fire truck in the upcoming Alsatia Mummer's Parade.

But council members are at odds over whether to grant his request.

McClure made the request during Tuesday's council meeting and Councilman Alfred W. Boyer said he liked the idea. Although Boyer said he would probably watch the parade from Bester Elementary School instead of riding in the parade with his fellow council members.

Councilmen Lewis C. Metzner and William M. Breichner were against McClure's idea, which is apparently opposed by the City's fire chief.

Councilwoman Susan Saum-Wicklein left the meeting a few minutes early and the councilmen decided to wait for her tie-breaking opinion on the matter.

McClure said the council should use the parade to show one of the city's two $500,000 ladder trucks to the taxpayers.

McClure said having one of the new trucks in the parade, instead of an older truck they typically ride on, could also impress some youths and hopefully help recruit them to become volunteers in the future.

Metzner said they should stick the recommendation from the fire chief, which was to leave both new ladder fire trucks in service and in their stations waiting to respond to an emergency.

The mummer's parade on Oct. 30 follows a route along Potomac Street, and essentially splits downtown Hagerstown. The new ladder trucks are stationed on opposite sides of the parade.

Breichner agreed with Metzner.

"What if the fire alarm goes off? Are we going to ride along?" Breichner asked.

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