Jan 15 - Oriskany

Mar 19 - Deansboro

May 21 - Stittville

Sept 17 - Clayville

Nov 19 - Clinton

Board of Directors at 6:30 pm

Regular Meeting at 7:00 pm

Oneida County Volunteer Firemen's Association

& Ladies Auxiliary Parade Rules

Men’s Parade Rules – Revised 2006, 3/2015, Combined-3/2016, Revised 9/2017

1. NO drilling that will obstruct the forward progress of the parade.

2. Fire Department and Auxiliary Officers (ONLY) to salute the American Flag.

3. Location of the judge's stand to be designated three hundred (300^’) feet in advance.

4. Apparatus or Bands, not to be judged with marching units.

a. Driver's and all declared riders shall be counted and judged when in full uniform ONLY.

5. Marching units shall be judged solely on marching ability and appearance, although the number in line counts towards final score it's only a minor part of judging.

6. There shall be a space within fifty feet (50') between each marching unit.

a. A marching units consists of band, firefighters, auxiliary and apparatus.

b. If at anytime a musical group marching with a unit causes a unit to be more than fifty feet (50') of the preceding unit, they shall not be penalized as long as they are within fifty feet (50') of the musical group.

c.  An auxiliary marching without a fire department mush march fifty fee (50’) from the preceding unit.

7. The formation of a unit shall be as follows:

1. Musical Group
2. American Flag
3. Company banner
4. Officer in charge
5. Past Chiefs and current Company Officers
6. Firefighters
7. Auxiliary
8. Apparatus

  8. Color Guard shall constitute of two (2) or more guards with arms and an American Flag.

         a.  A Color Guard may include Junior Line Officers with hardware.  No Chief’s allowed in the Color Guard. 

9. The Company flag on a staff to be carried to the left of the American Flag and shall not be carried higher than the American Flag. When carrying a Company Banner on a pole, it shall be twenty feet (20') behind Color Guard.

10. The Officer In Charge will be twenty feet (20') to the rear of Color Guard or banner, if carried. Officers marching shall be within twenty feet (20') to the rear of the Officer In Charge. When Past Chief's are in the line of march, they shall be to front right of current Line Officers. Officers marching in the ranks with firefighters shall be in the front of the ranks, twenty feet (20') to rear of Officer In Charge.

11. There shall be NO sounding of sirens, horns or any other audible devices within the line of march. Except for an Emergency.

         a. Emergency lights are permitted.

12. All units are to march an arm length from the marcher in front and a dress right length from the marcher on their side.  All other formations such as close marching, shall be charged with improper spacing, excluding the Color Guard, which may march close together.

13. Uniforms will be of local standard issue. There shall be NO variations other than Company standard to Signify officers.

a. Service awards may be worn and will not be judged.

14. Units of twenty (20) Marching firefighters or less shall march two (2) abreast.

Units of twenty-one (21) to forty-nine (49) Marching Firefighters shall march three (3) abreast.

Units of over forty-nine (49) Marching firefighters shall march four (4) abreast.

15.   When marching three (3) abreast, the odd marcher shall march at the end of the outside line.

When only one (1) odd marcher that marcher shall march at the end of the right line.

a. A single marcher or Officer, marching behind the Saluting Officer, shall march in a direct line behind that Officer, in lieu of to the right.

16. DEMERITS:

10 Points -  For use of audio devises. EXCEPT IN AN EMERGENCY.

5 Points - Marching without an American Flag

5 Points - Marching without proper Color Guard

5 Points - Colors not in proper formation

5 Points - Banner not in proper formation

5 Points - Officers not in proper formation

5 Points - Officer-in-Charge not saluting

5 Points - Breaking ranks during parade. EXCEPT IN AN EMERGENCY.

1 Point -   Each infraction proper spacing

1 Point -   Each infraction if uniform gloves are worn, they must be the same color, worn by the entire                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               company/department (including drivers) and declared riders.

1 Point -  All shoes must be of same color

1 Point -  Uniform must be of local standard issue

1 Point -  Each infraction of talking, waving, laughing -  ONE PERSON MAY CALL CADENCE

1 Point -  Each infraction of out of step. EVERYONE MUST BE IN STEP WITH AMERICAN FLAG

1 Point -  Eagle turned on staff. AMERICAN FLAG OR COMPANY FLAG

17. For a company/department in the line of march with ten (10) or more marchers, a tenth (l/10th) of a point shall be given for all uniform marchers

For those uniformed marchers less then ten (10) in the line of march there will be NO deduction or addition of a tenth (l/10th) of a point.

For Auxiliaries, a tenth (1/10^th) of a point shall be given for 6 (six) or more marchers in line.

No points deducted or added for less than six(6) marchers in line of march.

An Auxiliary unit must consist of a full Color Guard.

A unit of less than ten (10) will still be judged and eligible for prizes they qualify for.  An Auxiliary unit with less than six (6) marchers will qualify for all prizes.

18. Marching departments and auxiliaries shall be judged on a credit basis of zero (0) to ten (10) points for:

           a. Color guard

       b. Saluting Officer

       c. Overall general appearance of marching unit

19. If a prize is offered for the Company or Department coming the longest distance, that Company or Department must have at least ten (10) firefighters in the line of march (This applies to Convention Only).

       a.  This award will be decided by the host company.

20.  Each unit to be eligible for an award must start in the forming area and continue in the line of march to the finish line and through the Host Company’s Color Guard.

21. Non-Association members will be awarded prizes only if the host Company/Department desires.

22. The Oneida County Parade Judges Association will supply judges for all Oneida County Fire Departments parades, if notification is received by April Fifteenth (15^th) of that year.  Any request after that is at the discretion of the Oneida County Parade Judges Associatin.

a.  We will judge Fire Departments, Ladies Auxiliary and Military Organizations.

b.  We do not judge musical groups, floats, local organizations and apparatus.

23. Anyone desiring information concerning demerits should send a written request with a SASE to the local parade chairperson within one (1) week. The local chairperson must respond within one (1) week, providing requested information.  NO GIG SHEETS WILL BE GIVEN OUT ON PARADE NIGHT.

24. Parade judging shall be done in an area of six hundred feet (600’).

This is to be three hundred feet (300') before the judging stand and three hundred feet (300^’) after the judging stand.

A judge may be assigned to the forming area only for rule information.

A judge may be assigned at the conclusion of the parade to ensure the units complete the parade and check driver's uniforms.

The number of judges assigned shall be determined by the OCPJA Chairman for the purpose of judging marching units.

There shall be a sign posted at the beginning and the end of the six hundred feet (600^’) judging area.

Twenty Feet (20') spacing lines marked on the road is the discretion of the host Company/Department

The first Judge may speak to the units and correct errors observed.

25. Disorderly conduct at anytime will disqualify the entire unit.

Disqualification is the discretion of the host Company/Department.

26. In order to be judged in the category of marching with music, a musical group must consist of at least four (4) members playing instruments and be marching in proper formation in front of the fire Company/Department

27. Only the Officer-In Charge may have a communications devise.

28. Two (2) Companies/Departments may merge together if they have less than ten (10) marching members present and have the approval of the Host Company/Department.

They must also alert the judges prior to the start of the parade

29. The judges that are assigned to a parade will not leave until the Host Company/Department is satisfied that the judges have fulfilled all their duties.

30. When marching without music, there may be one member calling cadence or one drummer in uniform and in proper formation. (Drummers shall be placed last in line in compliance with rule fifteen #15)

a.  An Auxiliary member will  be permitted to call cadence in the line of march except when passing the reviewing stand.

       b. The GUARD on the EXTREMENT RIGHT of the Color Guard will be the only one permitted to call PRESENT COLORS OR PRESENT ARMS OR RETREAT COLORS OR RETREAT ARMS, when passing the reviewing stand.

31. When a Company/Department has ONLY a Color Guard and a Saluting Officer, in the line of march, they will be judged in those two (2) categories ONLY.

32.  To be eligible for prizes at the County Convention Parade, dues must be paid-in-full and up-to-date.

33. Judges will break a tie as follows:

1. General Appearance

2. Color Guard Appearance

3. Saluting Officer

4. Number in Line of March

The Oneida County Volunteer Firefighters's Association – Parade Rating Sheet

Revised May 2001