The South Holland Fire Department is honored to sponsor the annual Parade of Lights, Tuesday, October 5, beginning at 7:00 p.m. with a service for firefighters and the public at Thorn Creek Reformed Church, 1875 E. 170th Street. The parade will begin immediately after the service, with a new route that will start from Thorn Creek and end at the Homewood Fire Department, 17950 Dixie Highway. The annual Parade of Lights is a solemn event held during National Fire Prevention Week (Oct.4-8, 2010).

This year’s parade is even more meaningful as the South Holland Fire Department, joined by many other south suburban fire departments, will pay tribute to Homewood Firefighter Brian Carey, who gave the “Supreme Sacrifice: while fighting a structure fire in the Village of Homewood on March 30, 2010. Firefighting apparatus, including fire engines, fire aerial ladder trucks, squad cars, and ambulances will form a “lights only” parade that will wind through the streets of the Village of South Holland and the Village of Homewood.

This “silent tribute” to fallen firefighters, including South Holland’s own Douglas Maicach who died tragically in the line of duty, and citizens who have suffered a loss in fire emergencies has been attended by hundreds of residents in past years. The parade is a quiet, reverent way for fire departments to pay respect to not only the firefighters who have died due to fire, but also to the civilians as well. Residents have commented on the impressive and beautiful display of lights, “The way the emergency lights of the fire apparatus light up the night is really something to see.” Last year about forty fire apparatus of various types participated in this parade. This number continues to increase each year since the inception of the parade in 1996.

The Parade of Lights route will head west from South Holland’s Thorn Creek Church to Cottage Grove Avenue where it will turn north and continue to 162th Street. At 162nd and Cottage Grove, the parade will turn west and continue to State Street, where the parade will turn south and proceed to enter the Village of Thornton. At Margaret Street, the parade will travel west to Ridge Road and continue to Dixie Highway. At Dixie, the parade will proceed north to the Homewood Fire Station.

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