Memorial for fallen firefighter no longer public, procession route changed

MOSES LAKE — A planned memorial service for deceased Moses Lake firefighter Andrew Deering announced Wednesday will no longer be open to the public, city officials announced Thursday.

City officials cited “the recent government proclamation regarding group gatherings” for the sudden change, though there do not appear to have been any applicable changes in recent months to state or federal guidelines regarding group gatherings. City officials pointed to a Wednesday proclamation specific to weddings and funerals, but that announcement loosened restrictions, rather than tightening them.

Instead, funeral services will be live-streamed at 1 p.m. on the Moses Lake Firefighters Facebook page, city officials wrote in a statement.

However, a procession planned prior to the memorial is still scheduled and will begin at 11:30 a.m. The previously announced route has since been changed and will now begin at the Fairchild Cinemas parking lot and will travel south on Pioneer Way before turning east onto Nelson Road.

City officials caution local residents that the procession may cause traffic congestion and motorists may want to plan alternate routes.