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Skippack supervisors say heat and strained EMS forced unanimous withdrawal of July 4 parade permit
Summary
Supervisors said emergency responders advised that extreme heat and a countywide strain on EMS made the July 4 parade unsafe, prompting a unanimous permit withdrawal; residents pushed for clearer written procedures and questioned whether the revocation was done in a public vote.
Skippack Township supervisors told residents at their July meeting that they unanimously withdrew the parade permit for the July 4 celebration after local fire and EMS officials said they could not safely support the event amid an unprecedented heat wave and countywide resource shortages. “When the emergency professionals charged with protecting public safety tell us that they cannot safely support an event, we have a responsibility to listen and act,” the board chair said in a prepared statement.
Township fire and ambulance leaders described a days‑long heat event and a separate mass‑casualty incident involving a visiting steam locomotive that together strained Montgomery County emergency services. The ambulance chief told supervisors the county had been so overwhelmed that at times “a third of Montgomery County” lacked available EMS units, and said crews feared they could not reach people quickly if multiple heat‑related or other medical emergencies occurred during a large parade.
Several residents and business owners urged the board to reschedule fireworks and consider alternatives; others said the late notice cost vendors and community groups. One resident asked whether the permit revocation had been decided by a publicly advertised vote and requested a written policy for weather‑related cancellations. The township solicitor responded that he had been consulted and issued an opinion that the action fell within legal parameters given the emergency conditions.
The board clarified that it did not pull the fireworks permit tied to a private sponsor and said it explored rescheduling options. Supervisors and staff repeatedly encouraged community members to consider volunteering with local fire companies and EMS to address chronic staffing shortages.
What’s next: residents pressed the board to adopt explicit, public criteria for future weather‑related cancellations and faster, clearer notification for organizers and vendors; the board did not announce a specific rescheduled date for fireworks and said any rescheduling would require a separate vote and potentially funding approval.
