St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Mobile Emergency Operations Center To Lead Irish, Italian, Islenos Parade And Give Updates Throughout

Capt. Bret Bowen readies the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Mobile Emergency Operations Center to lead the 2018 St. Bernard Irish, Italian, Islenos Community Parade on Sunday, April 15. A deputy aboard the operations center will post regular location updates on the Sheriff’s Office Facebook page beginning at 11:45 a.m. and throughout the duration of the parade. The St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office Mobile Emergency Operations Center will lead the 2018 Irish Italian Islenos Parade on April 15 in Chalmette.

St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann reminds residents they can check the Sheriff’s Office Facebook page on Sunday, April 15 for location updates and live video streaming of the 2018 St. Bernard Irish, Italian, Islenos Community Parade.

A sheriff’s deputy on board the department’s Mobile Emergency Operations Center will post regular location updates on Facebook beginning at 11:45 a.m. and throughout the duration of the parade.

“We have been doing location updates for parades for several years now and have received many appreciative comments from residents,’’ Sheriff Pohlmann said. “We hope spectators find it helpful to know when the parade will approach them or if there is going to be a delay.’’

The department’s Mobile Emergency Operations Center essentially controls the running of the parade by coordinating closures of main cross streets as the parade approaches and making adjustments in the speed of the procession.

The year’s parade will begin and end at the Frederick J. Sigur Civic Center, 8245 W. Judge Perez Drive in Chalmette, with a u-turn at Ventura Drive.

This year’s Irish, Italian, Islenos parade will feature approximately 500,000 pounds of produce being tossed by riders on nearly 50 floats. Jim Henderson will be this year’s grand marshal, and Patrick “PJ” Turner and Jaylynn Bergeron Turner, St. Bernard Parish’s assessor, will reign as the 2018 King and Queen.