The Alternative Press

 

OGDENSBURG, NJ – Hundreds packed into Ogdensburg Borough on Saturday afternoon, for the 92^nd Annual Sussex County Firemen’s Association Inspection Day and Parade.

The parade featured fire departments, ambulance squads, fire department auxiliaries, marching bands, fire trucks, ambulances, and local dignitaries who were driven around in classic cars from The Wanderers Car Club.

In spite of some raindrops, clouds, and cooler temperatures, departments and their supporters mingled until well after 8 p.m. following the Hose Laying Competition. Around that time, trophies were presented, and celebrations continued later into the evening.

Parade sponsors were: Ben’s Home Maintenance, W.P. Duct, Bodle Family, Freeholder Phillip Crabb, Harry’s Convenience Store, All American Mechanic, LLC., Home Solutions, and Al Millier Excavating.

The borough was abuzz with activity throughout the day as departments showed up for inspection of their vehicles in the morning, some required to leave before the parade for emergency calls. Sandyston Township was one department, which fought a barn fire, and Hardyston Township two calls in the morning, including one motor vehicle accident.  

Around noon, there was already a substantial crowd, preparing for the parade to begin, and securing the spots along Ogdensburg’s Main Street, on both sides of Route 517.

The borough’s fire siren announced the parade’s commencement at 1 p.m., though it took time for the first parade participants to reach the crowd. The parade started at Kuiken Brothers Kitchen and Bath, and continued through Ogdensburg, until it reached the Ogdensburg Fire Department, and Firehouse Field.

Ogdensburg Borough Police Department led the parade, followed by the Red Knights on motorcycles.

Dignitaries were a part of the parade, and included: Ogdensburg Councilmen Peter Opilla, Robert McGuire, William Amodeo, and John Hann, and Borough Administrator Phyllis Drouin.

Other dignitaries included: Sussex County Freeholders Richard Vohden, Phillip Crabb (marching), and Parker Space (marching). Sussex County Sheriff Michael Strada additionally rode in one of the classic cars for the parade. Also, New Jersey Assemblywoman Alison McHose, Assemblyman Gary Chiusano, and New Jersey State Senator Steven Oroho (all R-24).

Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11) also made an appearance in the parade.

Andover Township Deputy Mayor, and Sussex County Freeholder Candidate Gail Phoebus marched with the Andover Township Fire Department. Republican Freeholder Candidate Dennis Mudrick, and Democratic Freeholder Candidate Jim Tighe enjoyed the parade from the sidelines.

From there, the following groups marched, or drove their fire appartus: Ogdensburg VFW, Middletown City Band, Ogdensburg Fire Department Color Guard, Odgensburg Fire Department, Andover Township Fire Department, Broome Street Band, Sussex Fire Department Color Guard, Sussex Fire Department, Sussex Fire department Auxiliary, Andover Borough Fire Department, Bloomingdale Coronet Band, Sparta Fire Department Color Guard, Sparta Fire Department, Sharpshooters, Branchville American Legion Post #157, Branchville Fire Department, Hopatcong Fire Department Color Guard, Hopatcong Fire Department Auxiliary, Lafayette Fire Department, Swartswood Fire Department, Swartswood Auxiliary, Sandyston Fire Department Color Guard, Sandyston Township Fire Department, Stillwater Fire Department, Hamburg Fire Department Color Guard, Hamburg Fire Department, McAfee Fire Department, Green Township Fire Department, Fredon Township Fire Department, Frankford Township Fire Department, Frankford Township Auxiliary, McKay Pipe Band, Pochuck Valley Fire Department Color Guard, Pochuck Valley Fire Department Auxiliary, Police Pipe and Drums of Morris County, Pfc. Jeffrey Patterson Marine Corp League Detachment 747, Newton Fire Department, Vernon Fire Department Band, Vernon Township Color Guard, Vernon Township Fire Department, Vernon Township Fire Department Auxiliary, Franklin Band, Franklin Fire Department Color Guard, Franklin Fire Department, Byram Township Fire Department, Jersey City Emerald Society Pipe and Drum Corps, Highland Lakes Fire Department, Highland Lakes Auxiliary, Montague Township, Colonial Musketeers, Stanhope Fire Department Color Guard, Stanhope Fire Department, Stanhope Fire Department Auxiliary, Hardyston Township- Fire Department Color Guard, Hardyston Township Fire Department, Rorey O’Moore Pipes and Drums, Wantage Township Fire Department, Wantage Township Auxiliary, Hampton Township Fire Department Color Guard, Hampton Township Fire Department, Hampton Township Auxiliary, Harmony Sr. Drum Corps, Boonton Fire Department Color Guard, Boonton Fire Department, Delaware Valley Fire Department, Dover Fire Department Color Guard, Dover Fire Department, Hackettstown Fire Department, Jefferson Township No’s. 1 and 2, Jefferson Township No. 2 Auxiliary, Fusion Drum & Bugle Corps, Wharton Fire Department Color Guard, Mine Hill Fire Department Color Guard, Mine Hill Fire Department, Morris Township Fire Department Color Guard Morris Township Fire Department, Netcong Fire Department Color Guard, Netcong Fire Department, Netcong Auxiliary, Port Jervis Fire Department Color Guard, Unionville Fire Department Color Guard, Unionville FGire Department, NJ Forest Fire Service, Sussex County Sheriff’s Office, Public Safety Training Academy, and Breast Cancer Engine.

The crowd was as energized as the parade participants.

Mary Gould of Hardyston, was one of the spectators, there to see her husband, Paul (a lifetime member), and son Tim (a probationary member, now attending fire school) march with the Hardyston Fire Department.

“It’s a celebration for the firemen,” Gould said. “They love the trophy part of it. They enjoy the hose laying. It takes a lot of preparing before.”

Of her family’s participation with the fire department, she said, “I don’t go to sleep until they’re home.”

“I have to thank all the firemen, they’re like family,” she added.

Gould herself is part of Hardyston Fire Department’s new Auxiliary.

Kyle Marsh donned a fireman’s outfit, and came with his mother, Michell Nemeth, and grandmother, Elaine Nemeth, to the parade. Former Sussex County residents, the trio now reside in Matamoras, Pa., and still attends the parade annually.

“It’s just always a good parade,” said Elaine Nemeth. “It’s family-oriented, everyone loves a parade. Our hearts are still in Sussex County.”

“And he [Kyle Marsh] loves fire trucks,” Michelle Nemeth chimed in.

Shauna Search has been coming to the parades annually for the past 11 years, since she has been together with husband, R.J. Search, of the Franklin Fire Department. This year, she brought their six-month-old white Pit Bull Puppy, Gunnar. Gunnar was a hit with parade-goers, dressed in a firefighter’s uniform.

Ron and Cathy Garrett of Hamburg attended the parade with their grandsons, Alex, age 5, and Evan, age 3.

“We’re holding these up for the people,” said Alex Garrett of he and his brother waving their American Flags for those marching.

Ron Garrett joined Hamburg’s Fire Department 21 years ago, and runs calls with their first aid squad.

“I joined to help with the community,” he said.

“My dad is a medic,” Alex Garrett contributed.

“I want to be a firefighter [when I grow up],” said Evan Garrett.

Alison Salotti of Ogdensburg, attended with sons Jonathan, 13, Justin, 11, and daughter, Dena, age 9.

“This is our first parade attending in town,” Salotti said. “I thought it would be exciting to attend, and we like supporting our fire department.”

“It’s very nice to see it’s very well-attended,” said Sussex County Freeholder Candidate Dennis Mudrick, who watched from the sidelines with his family. “It’s enjoyable, the weather’s holding up for us. It’s nice to see so many people, men and women, dedicating their time.”

“Ogdensburg Fire Department is a very good department, that does a lot for their town,” said Tom Rider, Sparta Fire Department’s Deputy Chief. “Ogdensburg is very good with running with us.”

Rider recounted Ogdensburg’s help with calls, including the historic train station fire (click here for the report in The Alternative Press), and a fire at the Goddard School.

One of the questions answered about the parade was, why Hampton Fire Department Auxiliary sported blue hair during the parade.

“Our trucks are blue, and we have Smurf emblems on our truck,” said Shelly Chattaway. “We are all about blue. Everybody who knows us knows who we are.”

 

Results and Trophies Awarded:

Second Place, Best Appearing Drum Corps: Police Pipes and Drums of Morris County

First Place, Best Appearing Drum Corps: Harmony Sr. Drum Corps.

 

Second Place, Best Appearing Musical Color Guard: Colonial Musketeers

First Place, Best Appearing Musical Color Guard: Harmony Sr. Drum Corps.

 

Second Place, Best Appearing Band: Middletown City Band

First Place, Best Appearing Band: Franklin Band

 

Second Place, Best Appearing Major/Majorette: McKay Pipe Band

First Place, Best Appearing Major/Majorette: Harmony Sr. Drum Corps

 

Second Place, Best Appearing Motorized Refurbished Engine: Franklin Fire Department, 1915 LaFrance

First Place, Best Appearing Motorized Refurbished Engine: Dover Fire Department, 1937 LaFrance

 

Second Place, Best Appearing Motorized Original Engine: Lafayette Fire Department, 1938

First Place, Best Appearing Motorized Original Engine: Mine Hill Fire Department, 1954 Mack

 

Second Place Best Appearing Antique Hand or Horse-Drawn: Boonton 1892 Hand Pumper

First Place Best Appearing Antique or Horse-Drawn: Dover 1855 Steamer

 

Second Place Out of County Hose Laying: Delaware Valley (0:27:45 seconds)

First Place Out of County Hose Laying: Morris Township Fairchild (0:24:84 seconds)

 

Second Place Best Appearing Ambulance: Fredon Township

First Place Best Appearing Ambulance: Sussex Borough

 

First Place Best Appearing Fire Rescue Out of County: Parsippany Rescue and Recovery

 

First Place Best Appearing Out of County Ladder Aerial: Boonton

 

Second Place Best Appearing Out of County Military Color Guard: No Winner

First Place Best Appearing Out of County Military Color Guard: No Winner

 

Second Place Best Appearing Out of County Color Guard: Wharton

First Place Best Appearing Out of County Color Guard: Boonton

 

Second Place Best Appearing Out of County Department 20 Members and Under: Morris Township

First Place Best Appearing Out of County Department 21 Members and Over: Netcong

 

Second Place Best Appearing Out of County Department 21 Members and Over: Wharton

First Place Best Appearing Out of County Department 21 Members and Over: Boonton

 

First Place Privately Owned Antique: 1938 Ahrens-Fox owned by Tom Corigliano

 

Third Place Out of County Engine Over 10 Years Old: Mine Hill

Second Place Best Out of County Engine Over 10 Years Old: Wharton

First Place Out of County Engine Over 10 Years Old: Boonton

 

Third Place Best Out of County Engine Under 10 Years Old: No Winner

Second Place Best Out of County Engine Over 10 Years Old: Minnisink

First Place Best Out of County Engine Over 10 Years Old: Netcong

 

First Place Best Appearing Junior Fire Department: Sandyston

 

Third Place Best Appearing Tanker: Sussex

Second Place Best Appearing Tanker: Stillwater “The Big Red Dog”

First Place Best Appearing Tanker: Hampton

 

Second Place Best Appearing Aerial: Stanhope

First Place Best Appearing Aerial: Newton

 

Second Place Best Appearing Rescue: Hamburg

First Place Best Appearing Rescue: Fredon

 

Second Place Best Appearing Engine 21 or More Years: Hopatcong
First Place Best Appearing Engine 21 or More Years: Andover Borough

 

Second Place Best Appearing Engine 15 to 20 Years: No Winner

First Place Best Appearing Engine 15 to 20 Years: Franklin

 

Second Place Best Appearing Engine 7 to 14 Years: Pochuck Valley

First Place Best Appearing Engine 7 to 14 Years: Sandyston

 

Second Place Best Appearing Engine 1 Year to 6 Years: No Winner

First Place Best Appearing Engine 1 Year to 6 Years: Wantage

 

Second Place Auxiliary Hose Laying: No Winner

First Place Auxiliary Hose Laying; Sussex (0:32:89 seconds)

 

Second Place County Hose Laying: Stanhope (0:23:73 seconds)

First Place County Hose Laying: Sussex (0:21:89 seconds)

 

Second Place Best Appearing Military Color Guard: PFC Jeffrey Patterson Marine Corp. League Detachment 747

First Place Best Appearing Military Color Guard: Branchville American Legion Post #157

 

Second Place Best Appearing Fire Department Color Guard: Pochuck Valley

First Place Best Appearing Fire Department Color Guard: Franklin

 

Third Place Best Appearing Auxiliary: Wantage

Second Place Best Appearing Auxiliary: Vernon

First Place Best Appearing Auxiliary: Sussex

 

Best Appearing Overall Auxiliary: Highland Lakes

 

Second Place Best Appearing Small Company: Andover Borough

First Place Best Appearing Small Company: Sandyston

 

Second Best Appearing Medium Company: Vernon

First Best Appearing Medium Company: Pochuck Valley

 

Second Best Appearing Large Company: Newton

First Best Appearing Large Company: Franklin

 

Overall Best Appearing Out of County Engine: Boonton Ladder 301

 

Best Appearing Out of County Department: Boonton

 

Overall Best Appearing In County Apparatus: Hampton

 

Chief’s Trophy: Franklin