The Bomberos' Torchlight Parade

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Bomberos' Torchlight Parade in Panama City

122 years of the Cuerpo de Bomberos
photos of the Bomberos' Torchlight Parade by Eric Jackson

The annual firefighters' torchlight parade up Via España and down Avenida Central was wonderful, but not "as always." For one thing, it was substantially smaller than usual because Colon was in mourning over two of their firefighters killed in the line of duty and several others seriously injured and thus not marching, several companies were enmeshed in political scandals and also absent, the SINAPROC disaster relief agency wasn't there, not too many fire trucks or ambulances were in the parade and the politicians, including those with administrative responsibility over the fire departments, also stayed away.

Is it socially or journalistically acceptable to complain about certain parade conditions? At the risk of being boorish, let this reporter also note that unlike in years past, the garbage along the parade route was not picked up in advance; and also unlike previous practices, the cops didn't come around an hour or 45 minutes before the parade and make the people who parked their cars along the route move their vehicles.

However, the people of Panama support the firefighters, and plenty of boys and girls came away from the parade hoping that someday they, too, will join the Cuerpo de Bomberos to defend lives and property against disasters great and small.