'None of us are OK:' witness describes 'mayhem' after N.S. parade tragedyYARMOUTH, N.S. — A four-year-old girl is dead after a tragic accident at a Santa Claus parade in Yarmouth, N.S., police said Saturday, as a witness described a scene of terror that shattered the small port town's holiday celebration.
Nov 24, 2018 7:39 PM by: Canadian Press

YARMOUTH, N.S. — A four-year-old girl is dead after a tragic accident at a Santa Claus parade in Yarmouth, N.S., police said Saturday, as a witness described a scene of terror that shattered the small port town's holiday celebration.

The girl, who has not been publicly identified, was running along a passing parade float on one of the town's main thoroughfares when she fell underneath it just before 7 p.m. local time, police said.

She was rushed to a local hospital by paramedics but was pronounced dead a short time later.

Cpl. Dal Hutchinson, a public information officer with the Nova Scotia RCMP, described the event as "very, very tragic — and also very traumatic for everyone there.

"My understanding is there was a large group of people there — families — watching the Santa Claus parade when this incident took place," Hutchinson said in an interview Saturday night.

He added that anyone who may have witnessed the incident should talk about it with others and seek support to deal with the trauma.

"Our thoughts are with this little girl's family during this very, very difficult time."

Vance Webb, a retired machinist who lives on the outskirts of Yarmouth, attended Saturday's parade with his wife, stepson and three grandchildren.

"We were just watching the parade, and then about 30 feet away, I hear — all of a sudden, the float stops, and I kinda see something on the ground," Webb said in a phone interview.

"Then all of a sudden, we just heard screaming. It was pretty close to us."

Webb said the entire scene descended into "mayhem" as people realized what had happened.

"People within 50 feet of it — none of us are OK. All the adults were crying. Everywhere I saw, there were hundreds of people crying," said Webb.

"This is really gonna affect the town."

Parade organizers did not immediately respond to requests for comment Saturday night.

— by Adam Burns in Toronto

The Canadian Press

My Interview With A College From Colorado:

The Facts:  Every engineer even the Ohio State Attorney General agrees.....
Every Utility Trailer Company puts these words into the writing of their handbook.

Like A 10 Step program that clearly states the obvious:

"Trailers are not meant for people and are meant for property carrying purposes"   Ron J. Melancon Prove my statement wrong.

Then why are every locality and every government agency allowing anybody on a trailer during hay rides and parades?

Nobody wants to answer our questions:

Why?

However we are the reconized leader as the most informed person on this subject:

Quote from a organization:

"Ron you may be
the BEST INFORMED
person on trailer accidents
I have ever seen.  I am trying to compile statistics about parade related deaths and hoped you might be able to help. 
My interest is more in the direction of preventing people from throwing candy, as we have had several near misses.  WE DID / Parade Float Accidents.


In Every Manual or handbook of trailers sold in the United States it has this statement.

2.2.12 INAPPROPRIATE CARGO

The Trailer may be designed for specific cargo. If your trailer is designed for specific cargo, only carry that cargo in the trailer.  A Trailer must not be used to carry certain items, such as people, containers of hazardous substances or containers of flammable substances.


Question One:

What parade and hay ride safety regulation do you know already exist and how are they enforced, especially in the state of Colorado?  What happens if the regulations are violated?

Answer:

We do not have a National 10 Step Safety Program ..... If any safety standards exists then it is set up by people who have no idea on what is needed because they never have talked to our organization.  Everybody does it "Their Way"  but the facts are read my statement.  A trailer was never designed to carry people.
What happens when the regulations are violated .......that's the point....nothing.  Because of lawyers if no regulations exist then nobody can sue because no violations were made. 
Every locality is afraid to enact a 10 Step Safety Program because if they do...and an accident happens then it gives the plaintiff reason to sue.

Question 2:
To your knowledge how many deaths and injuries occur annually in relation to parades and hay rides?

Answer:  Over 20 occur and hundreds are injured...for example if the death happens on a family farm on private property then most of the time it is never reported.  Not a single locality will report to any organization like ours that a fatality occurred as a result of a dangerous hay ride for parade.  In order for us to pick up on the story it must be reported by the news media....and if it is a busy day like 24-7 coverage on political subjects then these stories never bubble to the surface.

We do not always know the outcome due to "NDA" acts.....Non-Disclosure Acts"

Question 3:
In your opinion how pertinent is creating parade safety regulations?

So much so that is why I bought www.paradesafety.org over 8 years ago so I can have the resources and ability to produce a "Hayride and Parade Safety Book"  We have given our ideas to Purdue University in order to produce other safety books....We are given credit in these books.

Click Here for the books and my template:
http://www.dangeroustrailers.org/safety-publications.html

So much so...Congressman Cantor promised funding for us.....through the Government and then pulled it away due to pressure from the Farmers and Organizations.
My Nomination:
http://www.old.dangeroustrailers.org/Nomination_By_Senator_VA.html

I went bankrupt because of my efforts and continue to have Credit Issues today because of my decision to help save lives.
I even spent 8,000 on getting this law passed in Georgia....
http://www.dangeroustrailers.org/georgia-house-bill-123-signed-by-governor.html

We can get things done....6 States still do not have a safety chain law.......if we only had funding.

Question 4:
What do you believe parade and hay ride safety regulations should entail?

Again My Statement in Red..
All Stake holders...NTSB.....A Transportation Committee in the House Of Representatives and Senate we all must be locked up in a room and come up with a "Certified" Safety Program Unified all across the United States.

One All Trailers Must be modified to a certified standard in order to carry people.

Two All Trailers Must have at least a 4 foot safety rail

Three All riders must be instructed that once you are on the trailer you must stay on the trailer and cannot jump off or exit the trailer until  the parade comes to a designated stop and unloading area.

Four no throwing of any candy or anything from the float.

Five A 5 Foot safe Zone around the trailer must be enforced as the wheels of the trailer are wider then the trailer and will run over walking people next to the trailer.

Six No Flammable items on trailer like paper ......and all must have Fire Supression  Canisters at the ready.

Seven All Trailers must have a cage surrounding the tires to prevent children or adults from being sucked into the tires.

Eight All participants of these floats must have a liability insurance policy of at least 1,000,000 of coverage in case their equipment should injure or kill.

Nine a clear action plan to address injuries and who is in charge

Ten The local Fire Marshall's Office of each locality must certify and be in charge of these unregulated operations instead of these non profit groups who do not have any clue or resources to address these critical issues.

Question 5:

Should their be an age limit for children to ride on a float?  If so..what should that age limit be set at?

Again My statement in red must be fully understood.  I believe that no children under 10 or high limit must not be allowed on a moving trailer.......It is the same as a ride at an amusement ride....if you are not higher than the line you don't ride.

Question 6:
Who is or should be responsible for creating and enforcing parade safety regulations?

Answer Stake Holders including myself should all agree on a reasonable safety standard that all agree can be achievable and then enforcement should be placed on all Fire Marshall's Office which all localities have.

How to pay for the added expenses......through participant fees or the organization that will sponser the evetns....through donations.    The fact is....NHTSA has already established a life worth......
A life that is lost is 9.1 Million dollars a life......just one life lost that was preventable....

https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/docs/2015%20Revised%20Value%20of%20a%20Statistical%20Life%20Guidance.pdf

Question 7:
So you think parade safety regulations be dealt with on a more of a local basis or should their be rules implemented on a State To State Basis:

Again my statement in red on top.

I believe a NATIONAL safety standard must be agreed to  ......and all ...every  State and Every locality must adopt this standard....if they want enhanced standards then so be it.....

The fact is..:

All governments lack clear planning procedures and rules for parades.All Localities have ignored our statement to the NTSB:

And :

As communities across the country hold holiday parades this time of year, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is calling for localities to adopt more stringent safety measures. The agency issued several recommendations in a November report that found governments and sponsoring entities often lack adequate planning procedures and clear rules for parades.


Question 8:
Is thereor should there be a limit as to how many people are allowed on a float?  Sould the number change depending on the saize of the float and the space used by figures, signs and other items?

Answer :  Yes ....just like a room....a church....or a concert hall...they all have limits imosed on "how amny are allowed to be in them"  So should a hayride or parade float.  Absoulty....people should not be packed on them like sardines.
Again all stake holders and myself with the Fire Marshall's office should detlermine .....but again....my statement in Red must be re-read over and over again.

Question 9:
How do you believe Parade and Hayride Safety Awarnes can be spread? 

Answer:  I am ready for the job.....my web site was set up to do this.....and again ....I am willing to be that person....and have meetings with local officials.....and yes I am already prepared with a publication ....I just need funding.  If we can save one life ...then that is a savings of 8,000,000 to 10,000,000 from lawsuits and loss of lives.

Question 10:
Obviously, accidents happen and cannot alwways be prevented..but what further actions do you believe could be taken to prevent parade and hayrdie related deaths and injuries:

Again my statement in Red...must be acknowledge.....

A car is designed to carry people....right but yes accidents happen and all stakeholders have gotten together to address  and make cars safer.

A home is designed to hold people ....right?  but yes accidents happen and all stakeholders have gotten together to addrss and develop building codes to make them safer right.

"Trailers are not meant for people and are meant for property carrying purposes"   Ron J. Melancon Prove my statement wrong.
and nobody has gotten together with us....or any stakeholder to try and reduce and prevent these preventable deaths.....and the accidents and loss of life keeps happening.....
Why no action?

Thank you....

Ron J. Melancon

A Halifax Regional Police mounted member and horse march on Barrington Street during the Halifax Pride Parade in 2015. - File

There are no standard regulations for maintaining parade safety in Nova Scotia.

Nor, according to Ron Melanson, are they to be found anywhere in North America other than on one college campus.

“Why do we have standard regulations for car seats, but not for parade safety?” said the founder of paradesafety.org.

The Virginia man’s campaign to get regulations on parades and hayrides began in 2005 after he saw a woman killed by a homemade trailer that came loose from a pickup truck.

“In Nova Scotia you are actually one of the best jurisdictions because you have mandatory inspections on trailers,” said Melanson.

“But still if you look at the manual for any utility trailer it will tell you it was not designed to be used to carry people.”

MaCali Cormier, the four year old who died at the Christmas parade in Yarmouth on Saturday night, was not riding on the float that ran over her.

According to the RCMP, she was running alongside the float.

Melanson said Yarmouth isn’t alone in grieving such a loss.

He said that on average 22 people are killed annually at parades or on hayrides in North America.

He is pushing for states and provinces to implement standardized regulations for parades that mandate, among other things, guard rails on all floats, construction of cages around exposed trailor wheels, parade marshalls stationed at regular intervals along routes to keep viewers back and enforce a five-foot safe zone around each float.

“Nobody wants to take charge,” said Melanson.

“But what needs to happen in each jurisdiction is for stakeholders to sit down together and come up with common sense regulations.”

Marla MacInnis, spokeswoman for the province’s Transportation Department, said Monday that regulations around parades fall to who owns the roads on which they occur.

She said those organizing parades are required to get a permit from the owner of those roads, which in most cases is a municipality.

More Coverage We Simply Ask.......Why No Action?

Every Locality Is Now On Notice That Allows Any Organization To Use The Public Roadways That Injure And Kill Innocent People due to lack of any safety standards for parades....and see this quote from the Transportation Ministry Of Nova Scotia..

Marla MacInnis, " spokeswoman for the province’s Transportation Department, said Monday that regulations around parades fall to who owns the roads on which they occur. "  We Call This Passing The Buck

"We Dare Any Locality To Continue To Ignore Our  Suggested Safety Recomendations"  Ron J. Melancon

A celebration of the holiday season in a small port town in Canada quickly turned to tragedy Saturday when a 4-year-old girl was killed after falling underneath a float at the annual Santa Claus parade, officials said.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a news release the incident happened just before 7 p.m. in the town of Yarmouth amid the festivities.

A Message from Junk Sources

Not Enough Vets Claim These Amazing Benefits

The year was 1944. FDR was President, the Allies had invaded France, and the US Department of Veterans Affairs was launching a program th...

"She was not on the float. She was running alongside of the moving float when she fell underneath the float," Nova Scotia RCMP Cpl. Dal Hutchinson told CBC News.

The girl was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after arriving.

"A very tragic incident, very traumatic for everyone who was involved with the parade and at the scene," Hutchinson told CBC News.

Those who were watching the parade said the scene devolved into "mayhem" as spectators realized what was happening.

"We were just watching the parade, and then about 30 feet away, I hear — all of a sudden, the float stops, and I kinda see something on the ground," Vance Webb Webb told The Canadian Press. "Then all of a sudden, we just heard screaming. It was pretty close to us."

Webb told the news agency that there were "hundreds of people crying" after witnessing the accident.

"This is really gonna affect the town," he said.

MISSING AIR FORCE FAMILY OF 4 FOUND DEAD IN THANKSGIVING SUV CRASH

The organizations behind the Christmas Parade of Lights said in a Facebook post they were "devastated" by the incident.

"The Parade Committee is devastated by the traumatic accident during the Christmas Parade of Lights," the post read. "We, along with the community, mourn the familys' loss and are praying for everyone affected. The focus is on coming together as a community and helping this family through a very difficult time."

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also said he called the town's mayor to offer his condolences.

"As a parent, words fail at times like this," he tweeted. "Our thoughts are with the family of the young victim, and with everyone affected."

Police said the deadly incident remains under investigation.

We Simply Ask.....
What Do These Leaders Expect To Do To Prevent The Next One From Happening? 

Our Letter To The President Of Penn State University Then Below Is Their Bullet Points

Then Below Is My Interview With A College In Colorado Answering Their Questions:

Ron J. Melancon President

www.dangeroustrailers.org

www.paradesafety.org

www.hayridesafey.org

8898 Castle Point Drive

Glen Allen,  VA  23060

804-300-3925

dusterrm1@comcast.net

Penn State University

201 Old Main

University Park, PA 16802

Dear Dr. Eric Barron:

Allow me to congratulate your college to "Encourage"  Employees like Scott Barbara to have the ability to communicate to our organization what steps your college has taken to reduce and eliminate the potential for loss of lives and injuries.

Your student body has produced the most comprehensive "Best Practice" parade safety book in the nation and with a few tweeks of additional suggestions from our organization can be the "Nationwide Model" for addressing why so many lives have been lost due to unsafe parades.

I beg and ask that your college consider funding our organization with the additional help of Scott Barbara to develop a "Hayride And Parade Safety" Handbook that can be produced that might save a child that would come to be educated in your amazing college.

Know that our orgainazation has been self funded to the the extent that we went down financial ruin in order to continue running our web sites and documenting of accidents and deaths.  

In closing I ask that you consider that every life lost that was preventable according to NHTSA is a 7,500,000 loss in economic loss had that person lived a full life.  I know that funding a program upfront does not fully show financial results upfront but in the back end if we save just one life that would have been lost then like I stated its a 7,500,000 savings. 

Like the Opiate crises the money and funding was not available to prevent but we always find the funding after and that business model cost us 100 times and destroys lives if we simply addressed the issue in the beginning.

Let's try and save at least one of the 3 lives that on average will be lost in December.

Sincerely,

Ron J. Melancon

In

Parade safety needs to be regulated in Nova Scotia, advocate says Premium content
Aaron Beswick (abeswick@herald.ca)
Published: 16 hours ago

For Way To Many Years Every Locality Has Ignored Parade Safety.

"Most Governments lack clear planning procedures and rules for parades"  Ron J. Melancon

The Only Organization besides ourselves that we know of and that is willing to put it in writing is

PENN STATE UNIVERSITY! 

Scott Barbara who contacted us to inform us that the University has established a Parade Safety Program and Written Standards and they follow it.

Sean Karasik of the homecoming organization is also responsible.

Girl, 4, killed after falling under float during Santa Claus parade

 In 1971 J. Standard Baker Quoted " Drivers Towing Trailers  Are Four (4) Times As Unsafe As Those In Cars Alone! 

Penn State's Parade Safety Bullet Points

Scott Barbara

Sean Karasik

We Warned....and nobody wants to listen.  How many more must become road kill before we have a Nationwide Safety Standard that all "Stakeholders" must follow?
We are ready to help
On November 13 We posted This...and we were informed of a Amazing publication from Penn State University:

Here is an excerpt from the student manual for the Penn State Homecoming Parade (dates are from this year's manual, the dates vary by year.) New this year, though not mentioned, is the regulation that all safety devices (lights, triangles, and chains) with the exception of the fire extinguisher, are to be attached by the company providing the hay wagons. We did that for two main reasons. 1) We've noticed a declining trend in competence and responsibility from student organizations and our equipment was being lost or damaged. 2) By doing it ourselves, as professions, we are ensuring that the floats meet police department regulations. This was the first full "season" that we did this and our company saved hundreds of dollars. The university's official police and safety inspectors have commended our efforts on safety and efficiency.

Float construction - October 7th, 2018
● Begin at Noon on the Sunday of Homecoming Week - October 7th, 2018.
● Floats must not exceed 8 ft. wide /20 ft. long/15 ft. high
● Floats must meet all Police and Fire Regulations below
10
● Police Regulations for Floats: failure to adhere to these regulations
will result in immediate disqualification, loss of Equipment Deposit
and the float will not be allowed to participate in the parade.

▪ Decorative material used on parade floats shall be flame resistant.

▪ A minimum of one (1) ten pound multi-purpose (ABC) fire
extinguisher shall be provided for each float. The fire extinguisher
must be located in an accessible location, be currently certified and
maintained in operable condition and present at the time of float
inspections.

▪ A generator or battery must power all electrical appliances.

▪ All wiring and wiring connections must be located where they are
not exposed to physical damage, secured to float and maintained in
a safe condition.

▪ All generators must be uncovered and exhaust discharge should
not be located within 3 feet of combustible materials.

▪ Generators shall not be located in enclosed spaces or the
passenger compartment of vehicles. (Ex. Hatchback vehicles with
the hatch open is not an approved location for a gas powered
generator).

▪ All heat sources (lights etc.) must be located away from all
combustible materials.

▪ Safety chains must be affixed to the float and towing vehicle.
Chains must be present and affixed at the time of float inspection.

▪ No open flames are permitted on floats or vehicles.

▪ Individuals riding on the float must be situated in a secure location,
(Seated or provided with a secure handhold e.g. railing, pole,
handle).

▪ Maximum of 20 people can ride on float

▪ If more than 5 people, need to build a secure railing.

▪ A slow moving vehicle “reflective triangle sign” must be affixed to
the rear of the float in an easily visible location.

▪ Normal unobstructed vision to the front, sides and rear of the
towing vehicle must be provided to the vehicle operator.

▪ Working brake lights and turn signals must be present.

▪ All safety devices must be in place and operational at Final
Inspections.

● Fire Regulations for Floats: During Homecoming Week, many
organizations build shelters to protect the float from weather
conditions and to provide security. These shelters may create a fire
hazard.

▪ Any shelters or tents must be fire resistant and away from
flammable materials.

▪ A 10 lb ABC fire extinguisher must be placed near the exit of the
shelter.

● Inspection - October 11th, 2018
11

● On the night prior to the Parade, the organization must have completed
the following tasks:

● The vehicle towing the float must be present for inspection.

● If you are renting a vehicle to tow your float, you must rent it for
Thursday and Friday.

● The vehicle towing the float must have a full tank of gas.

● Slow moving vehicle triangle must be attached to the rear of the
float and visible.

● Flatbed must be properly hitched to the towing vehicle.

● Flatbed brake lights must be attached to rear of the float, working,
and visible.

● Float must have a 10 lb. ABC fire extinguisher on the float, not from
the fraternity house.

● Paper-mâché and airbrushing are prohibited during float
construction.

● Float dimensions may not exceed 8ft wide x 20ft long x 15ft high
(from the ground). If a float fails to meet size requirement, it will be
disqualified and not allowed to participate in the parade.

● Parade Arrival - October 12th, 2018

● No camping out on the Parade Route before 9am on Parade Day.

● Organizations/pairs must report to the parade check-in table at the
designated time with their floats. Floats arriving more than 30 minutes late
will lose their security deposit, and will forfeit any points earned in the
Float and Madhatter Competitions.

● A towing vehicle must accompany every flatbed at all times in the staging
grounds. A float may not be dropped off unless there is already another
towing vehicle present to replace it. The towing vehicle must be filled with
a full tank gas for Parade Day.

● Organizations arriving without the proper safety equipment will not be
considered checked-in and will have 30 minutes to retrieve the equipment
or be disqualified.

● Floats must be complete upon arrival at the staging area for check-in.

● Organization(s) names must appear clearly on the passenger’s side of the
float.

● Vehicles must be turned off upon arriving at staging grounds and may only
be turned on when instructed by a member of the Parade Captain.

● Absolutely no smoking is allowed in the staging area at any time.

● An investment in a rain tarp is highly suggested in the event that it rains in
the staging area before the parade begins.

● All trash should be removed from your area before leaving the staging
area.

● During Parade - October 12th, 2018

● The parade will begin at 6:00pm.
12
● Organizations should not stop during the Parade Route, unless directed to
do so by Homecoming or Police personnel. Floats must complete the
Parade route.

● The Borough Traffic Coordinator strictly prohibits anything being thrown
from a flatbed, float, or vehicle (this includes candy). Deductions will be
made each time any person is caught throwing any item.

● Floats must be pulled by a State College Borough-certified motor vehicle
with a properly working towing hitch.

● Any float deemed unsafe or inappropriate (contains obscene or political
propaganda) by the Homecoming Executive Committee or the State
College Police will be removed from the parade and disqualified from
competition.

● Parade order is determined at random by the Parade Committee.

● Floats not complying with Police and Fire Regulations at float inspection
on parade day will be disqualified and not allowed to participate in the
parade.