The nightly parade of Port Moody police and fire vehicles past Eagle Ridge Hospital to honour the front line medical staff working inside to control the COVID-19 pandemic is being scaled back.
But that doesn’t mean the city’s first responders are any less thankful, said chief constable David Fleugal.
“Our support for health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic is unwavering,” he said in a press release.
Instead, police and fire vehicles will parade past the hospital at 7 p.m. only on Friday nights, beginning tonight, but then perform “random acts of acknowledgement” in different parts of the city at the same time on other evenings.
Port Moody fire chief Ron Coulson said, “The scope will be smaller, but our reach will be broader.”
Fleugal said the random acts could be as simple as a fire or police vehicle turning on their lights and siren near a park, community centre or in front of the fire hall or public safety building on St. Johns Street.
“We’ll be encouraging our officers and firefighters to use their creativity,” he added. “We want to continue showing our support.”
Meanwhile, the fire department’s antique 1949 Mercury pumper that is on display at the Inlet station fire hall is starting to disappear behind posters of encouragement and gratitude being drawn by local school kids.
Posters, that are being displayed in the windows of the pumper truck’s enclosure, can be dropped in a box outside the hall’s main entrance until April 30, and prizes will be awarded in each age category up to Grade 5.
