Christmas parades review safety after tragedy in Yarmouth

Organizers behind upcoming Christmas parades around Nova Scotia are thinking about safety after the death of a four-year-old girl in Yarmouth, N.S., over the weekend.

MaCali Cormier died Saturday night in an accident involving a float in the Parade of Lights.

"We all feel very bad and we have a meeting [Tuesday] and I know that will be at the top of our agenda for safety," said Paula Munro-Fraser, a volunteer with the New Glasgow Fire and Rescue Santa Claus parade.

"We look forward to having our annual Santa parade. When something like this happens, it's at the front of your mind every time."

New Glasgow's parade is scheduled for Dec. 8 at 5:30 p.m.

Past tragedy brought to mind

Munro-Fraser said there have always been strict safety rules in place, especially if there are children on floats. She said children must be seated and any candy distributed at the parade must be handed to onlookers — not thrown.

Organizers are also cautious about decorations on floats and speed. Before the parade begins, Munro-Fraser said local police will drive through the parade route to ensure people are keeping a safe distance from the road.

Munro-Fraser said parade organizers in her area are extra sensitive to safety issues because of a tragedy in 1990, when a student died during a homecoming parade St. Francis Xavier University in nearby Antigonish, N.S.

"Every year I think about that, so I'm always watching," Munro-Fraser said.

In Fall River, N.S., outside Halifax, the parade was supposed to take place on Nov. 25. But it was postponed due to weather.

"But then of course the news started to trickle in about the tragedy in the parade in the evening before," said Paula Beck, a parade coordinator.

The parade was postponed to Dec. 9 at 5 p.m.

Even though the parade has never had serious problems, organizers are planning to be stricter about safety this year. All children under 10 must be with a parent or guardian, all participants in the parade must have illuminated batons, and people giving out treats must hand them to people on the sides.

"It's a small parade, you have to keep in mind — like I'm talking probably 20 floats. We're a small community, we know most of these people," she said.

5 more parades in CBRM

The Town of Port Hawkesbury and the Cape Breton Regional Municipality are also reviewing safety procedures for parades.

Jillian Moore, the communications officer for CBRM, said there are five parades scheduled between Nov. 30 and Dec. 8.

"We will be having an internal meeting this week to discuss the final five parades of the season and any possible additional safety precautions that we could take," Moore told CBC Radio's Information Morning Cape Breton.

The municipality is considering hiring more security, offering more education and procedures for parade entries and floats, and possibly assigning people to walk with each float.