Quarantine got you down? Social distance today at Columbia first responder parade
If that quarantine life has you down, the city of Columbia is holding a parade Friday to honor first responders during the coronavirus outbreak.
The first responders salute will include a motorcade — with the appropriate amount of social distancing — leaving from Columbia City Hall at 11 a.m.
Vehicles representing the area’s main first responder agencies will travel down Laurel Street to Harden, loop around to Blanding Street, and come to the end of the route at the intersection of Laurel and Barnwell streets.
Vehicles will take part from the Columbia police and fire departments, the Richland County sheriff’s department and coroner’s office, and emergency operations. Sheriff Leon Lott, Police Chief Skip Holbrook, Fire Chief Aubrey Jenkins and Coroner Gary Watts will all walk the route.
Richland County continues to struggle under the weight of the coronavirus outbreak, with more cases reported than any other county in the state. On Thursday, the sheriff’s department announced a deputy had contracted the disease, and Columbia has lowered its flag to half staff in honor of the 109 people in South Carolina who have died from COVID-19.
This story was originally published April 17, 2020 at 9:31 AM.
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