Miami Fire paraded through Brickell, downtown Miami. Residents banged pots, cheered
Dozens of Brickell and downtown Miami residents stood on balconies and sidewalks banging pots and pans and cheering Tuesday night in appreciation of the Miami Fire Department as they paraded by in an impromptu celebration of the first responders.
Starting at about 8:15 p.m., more than 12 City of Miami Fire Rescue trucks blared sirens and flashed lights through downtown Miami and Brickell.
The parade served a dual purpose, said Miami Fire Capt. Ignatius Carroll: Residents were able to thank firefighters, and firefighters were able to show their appreciation for them.
“It is gratifying that the community wanted to recognize the men and woman of the Miami Fire Department who are on the front lines trying to get ahead of the virus,” Carroll said. “It was also an opportunity for us to show our appreciation for the community support.”
Amanda Charles, who works in healthcare, said she was cooking dinner when she heard the sirens. Initially, she thought something serious had happened and turned to Twitter to see what was going on.
When she realized it was a parade by Miami Fire, she was happy to see the city celebrating together.
“We stand in our balconies every day at 8 p.m. and cheer, but it was very nice to see this tribute,” said Charles. “It is so heartwarming to see our city come together for this crisis.”
Firefighters from Station One in downtown Miami and Station Four in Brickell conducted the parade, which started on Brickell Avenue then continued to the entrance of the Rickenbacker Causeway. After that, fire crews went north on South Miami Avenue back into downtown Miami.
The parade only lasted a little over 15 minutes and ended just after 8:30 p.m. As people celebrated they were adhering to social distancing rules and no large groups gathered, Carroll said.
Robert La Rocca said it was nice to see firefighters and paramedics contribute to a sense of community that has been building through the pandemic.
“It’s been cool to see and hear neighbors from different buildings every night come out and cheer, and the firefighters and paramedics added to that tonight,” La Rocca said. “You get a sense of community and that we’re all in this together. It’s nice to see them join in on this.”
Since concerns over COVID-19 started to grow, Miami firefighters have been heavily involved in testing Miami residents, Carroll said. Of the nearly 800 Miami Fire employees, three have tested positive for the coronavirus.
“This is a way to show the community that their fire department remains committed to protecting them during this crisis,” Carroll said.
This story was originally published April 7, 2020 at 11:06 PM.
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