Orangetown Police Aid St. Patrick's Day Parade

The 50th Annual Rockland County St. Patrick’s Day Parade could draw 100,000 people to Pearl River by the time it starts 1:30 p.m. Sunday, nearly seven times the hamlet's population.

Most of the people will be either marching or standing lined up along the parade route, which runs from Pfizer down Middletown Road before cutting down Central Avenue. Both of those major roads will be closed, along with many intersecting side streets.

"They are all in such a small area," said Orangetown Police Lt. Michael Moroney, who has coordinated police efforts on the parade in the past and is this year's Parade Commander. "Really, it's Middletown Road and it starts getting crowded around 7-Eleven. From there to the end of the parade, in places it's 10 people deep on both sides of the road."

The Orangetown Police Department does not only provide crowd and traffic control for the parade. It helps coordinate the efforts of local fire departments, ambulances and units to make sure every part of Pearl River has emergency services even as the town is cut in half by the parade route.

"The parade committee can't thank them enough," said parade committee co-chairman Bill Lee. "It doesn't work without the police department. They put in a Herculean effort."

"I don't think the people that show up realize the effort that goes into it both from the parade committee standpoint of organizing it and the background work by the police department," Moroney said  "Something a lot of people don't consider is that when Middletown Road and Central Avenue are closed off for four ours, not to mention the side streets, they have to coordinate fire department coverage for the different areas of town, knowing they will not be able to cross those avenues. You have to break down the fire departments for different sections of town.

"The fire departments do an unbelievable job of mutual aid coordination. They work very well together."

The same is true for ambulances and other emergency services, so units have to be strategically placed for access and coverage and not just along the route.

"There will be nine fire units and up to 26 ambulances and dozens of police," said Orangetown Police Officer Harold Johnson, who is in charge of emergency management for the department, which includes coordinating efforts before, during and after the parade. "The town is so sectioned off. Each ambulance has an area of responsibility. The nine fire trucks from other departments in the county and from outside the state. One from Montvale (N.J.) comes up. They each have an area of responsibility. 

"The general public still exists Sunday."

There are changes from year to year, such as additional state police units that will be placed on Route 304 Sunday. For example, there will be an additional traffic post on the corner of 304 and Jefferson Avenue.

"Traditionally, we had state police at (intersections of 304 and) Central Avenue and Washington," Johnson said. "Without all three locations, it can cause a bottleneck of people getting everybody out."

That can be one of the largest challenges, getting everybody out of town once the parade is over. 

"We can't just open up the roads," Johnson said. "People are still walking around. We do have a specific plan for traffic afterward.

"It usually takes us about 45 minutes to an hour to get to the point where everything is open and traffic is moving relatively smoothly."

Officers also offer what Johnson called "friendly reminders" to local businesses regarding the importance of following town and state rules and regulations during the parade.

"They get a warning letter to that effect," Johnson said.

Johnson also offered other reminders for people attending the parade, participants and local businesses.

• The use and/or sale are prohibited. Johnson said that vendors must sign paperwork stating that they will not sell it. Silly string can damage the vehicles in the parade. It can spook horses and it is a fire hazard.
• Roads may be closed as early as 12 p.m. the day of the parade, so people should allow time to get where they are going in town before the closures.
• Be aware of permanent or temporary parking restrictions. Many of the signs will be posted Saturday night. There are a large number of parking spots that are normally available, but not for the day of the parade. Cars in those spots will be removed.
• Many side streets will be closed, mostly to provide routes for emergency service vehicles. 

Johnson said that the general plan does not change because this is the 50th anniversary of the parade.

"We do keep in mind that it is the 50th and because of that benchmark, it could increase attendance," Johnson said.

The police also take into account the presence of any dignitaries who will attend, such as Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who is expected to be there Sunday.

"Some show up with their own security," Johnson said. "Some don't. It is some thing to keep in mind. You have to work around it."

One other change from last year is St. Patrick's Day falling on the Saturday before the parade.

"From the police aspect of it, it just makes Saturday night busier," Moroney said. "You have people returning from New York City, from the city parade, but you deal with it. We have dealt with that before."