A parade involving emergency service vehicles will take place in East Prince on Friday to honour the victims of the recent shooting in Nova Scotia.
Vehicles will line up in the parking lot of Prestige Kitchen on Read Drive in Summerside between 11:30 and 11:45 a.m. before proceeding, with emergency lights flashing but no sirens, to the East Prince detachment of the RCMP in Bedeque where a ceremony will be held in memory of the lives lost.
Physical distancing measures will be in place for parade participants. The public is welcome to come out and show its support, either along the parade route or at the detachment but, for everyone's safety, people are being asked to stay six feet apart at all times.
Jason Woodbury, chief of the Miscouche Fire Department, said this tragedy hits too close to home for a number of reasons.
Woodbury is a native of Hants County, N.S., where some of the shootings occurred. He served as a volunteer firefighter at home more than 20 years ago, but he also knew RCMP Const. Heidi Stevenson, who died in the shootout. He had dealings with her a number of times over the phone as part of his role with CUPE Local 3324, the union that represents paramedics.
His last conversation with Stevenson was about four months ago.
“She was a genuine person,’’ Woodbury said, struggling at times with his emotions. “She actually had property (she talked about) on Prince Edward Island. She told me she had a cottage here and she was looking forward to coming over.
“For the dealings with her that I had, she was compassionate and she was genuine and honest.’’
Woodbury, who is helping to organize Friday’s parade, said he can’t describe his reaction when he turned on his television and saw that Stevenson was one of the victims.
“Speechless . . . it was overwhelming. That’s when I decided to shut the TV off and just do my own thing for a while.’’
PRINCE COUNTY PARADE
Following are the emergency service agencies that have been invited to take part in Friday’s memorial parade:
- Every fire department from Lennox Island to Crapaud, police agencies, tow truck operators, corrections staff, sheriff’s department, conservation officers, Crime Stoppers, Canadian Coast Guard, P.E.I. Fire Marshal’s Office, Island EMS.
Woodbury said the parade will also honour veteran and retired firefighter Tom Bagley, another one of the victims in the shooting. Bagley would have turned 71 on Tuesday.
“As emergency services, we grieve just like normal people. We wear our uniforms, but that doesn’t protect us for grieving or showing support to other agencies that we work with on a regular basis.’’
Typically, emergency services personnel would have driven to Nova Scotia for the funerals, but that isn’t possible in the pandemic where physical distancing is a way of life, for now.
Woodbury said firefighters have a close relationship with the RCMP and municipal police forces. They respond to emergencies at all hours of the day and night.
“We have a very unique community; a unique family. This is our way to show our condolences and our support to the RCMP during a very difficult time in their family. They would do the same for us if we lost one of our members in the line of duty.’’
Once the parade arrives at the East Prince detachment of the RCMP, a wreath will be laid on behalf of all emergency services in the detachment’s coverage area (which extends east to Crapaud). Kensington Police Chief Lewie Sutherland will be laying flowers, and other police agencies are expected to do so.
Parade through capital
There will also be a parade of emergency vehicles through Cornwall, Charlottetown and Stratford on Friday.
Vehicles will line up at the North River Fire Department at 11:45 a.m. The parade will proceed past the Maypoint detachment of the RCMP at noon and past RCMP L Division headquarters on University Avenue.
The parade will then wind its way through Charlottetown, ending at the new Cross Roads Fire Department where emergency service personnel will assemble for a photograph with the Nova Scotia flag.
Participating will be Island EMS, North River Fire Department, Charlottetown Police Services, provincial corrections, Cross Roads Fire Department, New Glasgow Fire Department, Cross Roads Fire Department and East River Fire Department.
