Procession Coordinator

I.    The Procession Coordinator has the primary responsibility of coordinating the funeral
       procession.  The following duties fall within his/her responsibilities:
        A.    Attend the coordination meeting and determine the following:
                1)    Name of the funeral home;
                2)    Name of the church;
                3)    Name of the cemetery;
                4)    Will a pumper be used as a caisson or will conventional
                        methods be used?
                5)    Will a F.D. vehicle be used as a flower vehicle?
                6)    Tentative time schedules?
                7)    Will the procession involve walking?
                        a.    Honor Guard;
                        b.    Pipe and Drums;
                        c.    Pallbearers.
        B.    The Procession Coordinator should then establish a simple systematic
                scheme for staging and coordinating vehicles at each location.
        C.    He/she should determine any special considerations the procession may
                involve by contacting the Family Liaison Coordinator.  These include:
                1)    Will the procession drive past the deceased's home, fire station or
                        other significant concerns?
                2)    Will a special line-up of equipment be needed at any point in the
                        procession for purposes of showing respect?
                3)    Will crossed aerial equipment be used over the cemetery entrance
                        so the procession will drive under it?  If so, the request for equipment
                        should be forwarded to the Event Coordinator.  The actual coordination
                        of the aerials belongs to the Procession Coordinator.
                4)    Coordinate the vehicle staging at the church and cemetery with
                        the appropriate key people.
        D.    Upon completion of the above, the Procession Coordinator will have
                to make contact with the local Police Department through host department and:
                1)    Determine a route;
                2)    Determine appropriate traffic control;
                3)    Request local P.D. to coordinate efforts with other Police Departments.
        E.    The Procession Coordinator should then develop maps indicating the route
                and any other specific instructions.  These maps should be handed out at
                the briefing at the funeral home prior to the beginning of the service.
        F.    The protocol for aligning the proper sequence of vehicles in a procession is
                basically as follows, from first to last:
                1)    Lead police car/fire car;
                2)    Flower caisson or car;
                3)    Hearse or pumper car;
                4)    Immediate family limousines or cars;
                5)    Pall bearers and Honor Guard;
                6)    Other immediate Fire Chief's vehicle;
                7)    Other immediate Fire Department vehicles;
                8)    Immediate Police Department vehicles;
                9)    Local City Fathers or City Administrators;
               10)    Visiting or neighboring Fire Department vehicles;
               11)    Other municipal vehicles;
               12)    Friends of the family- private vehicles;
               13)    Rear police or fire vehicles.
                NOTE:    With extremely large funerals, it may be advisable to form
                 the vehicles two abreast while moving.
        G.    Should fire apparatus be used as caisson and/or flower vehicles, the
                Procession Coordinator has the responsibility of contacting the Event
                Coordinator to determine which apparatus will be used.  Once established,
                the Procession Coordinator must assure the following items are taken
                care of in relation to the F.D. vehicles:
                1)    Apparatus are thoroughly cleaned and hose beds stripped.
                2)    Bunting placed on the apparatus to be used.
                3)    Hose bed adapted to easily facilitate casket placement and removal.
                4)    Consider platform for loading of casket.