EMS Honor Guard

[Lcfiremedic]

We are starting an Honor Guard at my service, and I would like to know if anyone has any ideas of things we need to do and any other information would be greatly appericated.

Thanks

Matt

[Richard B the EMT]

My answer is under the idea that you are in the United States. I saw nothing indicating this in the OP, but can probably be used in other countries as well.

Hardware:

1) National flag

2) State/Province flag

3) County flag

4) City/municipal flag

5) Departmental flag

6) Parade "Flag Carrier Belts", enough for one per flag, and all of the same style.

All flags are to be the same size, and flown from flagpoles of the same height. I'd suggest 3 x 5 foot flags on minimally 8 foot tall flagpoles.

If no departmental flag per item #5, generic FD, Rescue, EMS, Star of Life, and Law Enforcement flags are available from numerous dealers or manufacturers you can locate, and purchase from, on line. They also sell the flag carrier belts.

Consider items #2, 3, and 4 to be optional, in reverse order, if lacking personnel to carry them.

Personnel to wear:

1) Departmental "Class A" type uniform, complete to cap, if part of the dress uniform

2) Patent leather or similar bright shine shoes (be advised, they can make feet feel quite hot, as in temperature)

3) Military style white "parade gloves"

4) Braided Shoulder Cord in contrasting color to uniform, worn over right shoulder (optional)

5) Ascot in contrasting color to uniform, or black for funeral details (optional instead of a tie. All in the Color Guard and/or Honor Guard Formation will wear the same item, either the tie or the same color ascot. There is NO mix and match of ties or ascots, or colors of ascots)

6) Badge, if required by department

7) Award ribbons, if the individual personnel has earned them, in placement by departmental rules and regulation

Color Guard and/or Honor Guard Formations (from multiple information sources):

1)The flag, when carried in a procession with another flag, or flags, should be either on the marching right; that is, the flag's own right, or, if there is a line of other flags, in front of the center of that line. (If viewed from the front when marchers are approaching, the flag is to be on the left)

2) When flags of two or more nations are displayed, they are to be flown from separate staffs of the same height. The flags should be of approximately equal size. International usage forbids the display of the flag of one nation above that of another nation in time of peace. The order of precedence for flags generally is National flags (US first, then others in alphabetical order in English), State (host state first, then others in the order of admission) and territories (Washington DC, Puerto Rico, etc.), Military (in order of establishment: Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard), then other.

3) The U. S. Flag should not be dipped to any person or thing. Regimental colors, state, city, organizational or other flags are dipped as a mark of honor.

Optional:

1) If a unit, in a parade, has a banner, they follow the flags by a distance of 20 to 30 feet, so the banner can be read, and folks will know who the unit is. (In some areas, tradition has the banner lead the flags. If this is the case in your area, the flags follow by the same 20 to 30 feet.) Whoever leads the unit should keep back from the unit proceeding them by 30 to 40 feet to separate the units. Follow the directions of the parade marshals on this.

2) Some suggest that there be 2 additional personnel, each to the outside of the flag bearers. If a military or scouting unit, they might carry matching ceremonial rifles, carried to the outside of the flag line, indicating that they are protecting the flags. I have seen several fire departments have these "outriders" carrying ceremonial fire axes in similar style, with blade edges low and to the front, but have no suggestion as to what an EMS unit would, or should, carry in similar formations.

3) Flag handlers should keep the right hand higher up on the flagpole than the left, with the thumb up. There is discussion as to reversing the right hand to a "thumbs down" position for saluting, but I have nothing solid to back that up.

4) If there are horses ahead of you in the parade, watch where you march!

Edited September 14, 2009 by Richard B the EMT

[FireMedic65]

Well said Richard.

Just a thought, maybe get a hold of the local high school band's band director and see if they would be interested in marching with you on special events. Usually, they will be up for it if given a timely notice.

Recently, we had a County Convention here. Lots of departments, both EMS and Fire were there. Most of which, had marching units, carrying banners, flags as you stated. Some, even had their local HS band marching with them playing music. A handful, had their own band, mostly it was bagpipers. It was very nicely done.

[jw-c152]

Check out www.emshonourguard.com for information on the "Alliance of Canadian EMS Honour Guards." They have lots of useful information to share.

John

www.ParamedicPipeBand.ca

[Siffaliss]

We are starting an Honor Guard at my service, and I would like to know if anyone has any ideas of things we need to do and any other information would be greatly appericated.

Thanks

Matt

I'm not near your location, so I'm not sure how you'd go about this ...

Dunno, try these, I just searched for "honor guard":

http://honorguardtraining.com/

http://www.honorguardtraining.org/honor_guard_101.htm

http://www.honorguard.af.mil/bhg/

http://nationalhonorguardacademy.com/

Talk to several services with Honor Guards maybe in and out of your state if you can, perhaps speak with the military as well. A number of the Guard members I am associated with are current and past members of the military. They're experts in related topics such as proper marching, drill practice including formation, calling command, etc. It's highly professional, serious and formal on several occasions as you may be called upon/volunteer to participate in funerals, weddings, memorials, etc. You will need training from someone experienced in this. Uniforms can be costly as well, be prepared to look at that. Ours were nearly $2000 ... each ...

Edited September 15, 2009 by Siffaliss

[crotchitymedic1986]

The smartest thing that you can do is to visit with an existing honor guard in your state, or neighboring state. I have never met any honor guard folks who were not willing to bend over backwards to help a department do it right. If you are not sure who has one, start with the bigger city or county services (usually Fire) in your state. In a rural environment, sometimes it is better to create a 2 or 3 county team so that you can share the expense and ensure that you have enough people to perform the duties necessary on short notice. Also, I would not give out uniforms until people have practiced for a long time, this is the type of thing that people will immediately sign-up for, but then stop doing because it requires more work than they realized.

[Richard B the EMT]

I just remembered some details that should be considered, especially if the color guard is doing a funeral.

Wether it's men or women on the team, they REALLY have to be able to lift high, as sometimes they will be the ones called on to lift large heavy corpses in equally heavy coffins on or off an engine company's hose bed, or an ambulance cabin floor, or a hearse. If military, there is also the possibility of a horse drawn gun carriage.

Also, there is going to be the possible issue of steps at the house of worship, or funeral home.

Edited September 15, 2009 by Richard B the EMT

[Siffaliss]

I just remembered some details that should be considered, especially if the color guard is doing a funeral.

Wether it's men or women on the team, they REALLY have to be able to lift high, as sometimes they will be the ones called on to lift large heavy corpses in equally heavy coffins on or off an engine company's hose bed, or an ambulance cabin floor, or a hearse. If military, there is also the possibility of a horse drawn gun carriage.

Also, there is going to be the possible issue of steps at the house of worship, or funeral home.

I was told a long time ago I was too short to do casket carry (I'm 5 foot 1, the shortest Guardsman) ... I can however carry a sword (not a butterknife) and participate in flag drill as well.

[Richard B the EMT]

I was told a long time ago I was too short to do casket carry (I'm 5 foot 1, the shortest Guardsman) ... I can however carry a sword (not a butterknife) and participate in flag drill as well.

If that means carrying a flag, I see no reason why not.

[Medic One]

So our department does not have an honor guard and we learned the hard way when we had a death requiring full honors. I happened to be assigned to the detail along with a few others that have had experience with either military, fire fighting, or other EMS service honor guards.

We were told 24hrs prior to the funeral detail and scrambled to borrow equipment to do the honors. We had several departments both Police and Fire offor their guard but we decided to do it on our own.

From this experience we have decided we need our own team and are in the process of building it now. It takes a lot of time and committment. I served in a Horse Mounted Military Honor GUard and know the time and detail that needs to go into these things.

I suggest anyone trying to form a team contact your local Armed Services Recruiter...hook-up with the High School ROTC drill teams and local Police/Fire Service.

From experience the ROTC kids are always looking for stuff like this to help others as they need to prove to their recruiter they are dedicated.

Good Luck forming your team.