Olympia fire, police host surprise parades to cheer students and families staying home
Families all over Olympia have heard the sporadic whooping of a police cruiser in recent days, only to rush to the window and witness not an emergency, but officers, firefighters, and a crew of characters such as Santa Claus and Batman offering waves and smiles.
Wednesday was the third surprise parade hosted by the Olympia fire and police departments in the last two weeks, and, they say, the biggest yet: Two hours winding east to west and back again, with police cruisers, a medic unit, modern-day OFD engines, and antique fire engines originally from departments in Lacey, Olympia, and Tenino.
As the noisy procession of festive vehicles and quirky characters roped through neighborhoods Wednesday, bystanders’ expressions visibly progressed from confusion to epiphany, then joy.
Some kids sprinted to the ends of their driveways, hopped with anticipation, and yelled out characters’ names — some adults blew kisses, applauded, and yelled out their thanks. (A few adults, of course, didn’t seem to make it past their initial confusion.)
“If all the world’s problems can disappear for the 15 seconds of us driving by their houses, then we totally succeeded in our mission,” Kris Kvarnberg, a firefighter with Olympia Fire Department, told The Olympian Wednesday.
The idea to bring cheer directly to Olympians’ homes during Gov. Inslee’s Stay Home, Stay Safe order was Kvarnberg’s, his colleagues say.
He told The Olympian he’s a dad who coaches youth sports teams — he knows firsthand just how difficult it’s been for kids to stay home, and that this is generally a tough time, with many people losing their jobs.
So, he thought, why not surprise people? The goal: bring them some happiness while showing the community the fire department is still around to serve and protect them.
Olympia Police Sgt. Paul Frailey expressed a similar goal with the police department’s participation in the parades, saying they intentionally happen at lunchtime, offering a break for the students doing their homework and getting antsy — a push of inspiration and support.
Frailey called the parades “mutually beneficial” for spectators and officers, who “aren’t immune to the same struggles everybody else is having right now.” While this shows the departments’ support for the community, it also turns into an opportunity for the community to show its support for the departments.
Officers’ positive, face-to-face interactions with the citizens of Olympia — passing conversations, community meetings, events, school visits — aren’t happening like they normally do.
Lately, face-to-face interactions are instead happening only when absolutely necessary, usually in emergencies, said Frailey. The parades allow for positive interaction, which ultimately builds trust, which in turn contributes to public safety.
“It’s really to show our support for the community and try to bring a smile and give them encouragement in times that are so uncertain and so challenging,” Frailey said.
The departments purposefully haven’t announced their routes ahead of time, mainly to avoid encouraging group gatherings, said Margo Morales, program assistant for community policing at OPD. Frailey said they’ve paraded all over town, with the goal to include as much of the community as possible.
As of Wednesday, it was unclear whether there would be more parades through neighborhoods. But the agencies, along with several others in the area, are planning to honor Olympia health care workers with a parade around Providence St. Peter Hospital and Capital Medical Center next week.
This story was originally published April 30, 2020 at 5:45 AM.
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