Pocomoke fairgrounds was filled with lots of activity the night of Saturday, June 25, 2011. So many fans of this type of sport purchased tickets for the annual evening event tractor and truck pulling. Children were excited and spectators were lined up on the bleachers and in lawn chairs on the grass.
But the true hustle-bustle was "behind the scenes" in the pits and in the staging area. Driving teams were busy preparing to give a great show and thrill the spectators. Last minute details were being tended to.
It may look like fun, and to an extent it is, but these places can be very dangerous places. When these trucks and tractors are moving it can be from quite difficult to nearly impossible to see anything or anyone moving about.
On this night, where anything can go wrong in a split second or blink of an eye, it was a comfort to look around and see the Pocomoke Volunteer Fire Company in the shadows with emergency equipment standing by in case their emergency services were needed.
To many of you this may no seem like no big deal. Let me assure you that is certainly is!
My husband and a few of his friends are racers. The type of racing they do is on a much smaller scale from a truck and tractor pull but requires speed.
I have been in the pits of race tracks and watched with my own eyes trucks begin to flame and smoke with the driver inside. I've seen them roll over and over. Just last summer I witnessed an attempt to rescue a racer on my husbands team, by the drivers son, daughter, son-in-law, my husband then followed by the drivers wife!
There WERE NO paramedics. NO fire fighters.- just in case their services might have been needed. NO fire extinguishers!!- only the one mounted in the truck.
And no matter how often or how loudly I complain about the need for some type of emergency attendence no one listens.
Drivers of these vehicles performed for an audience of many. They gave a wonderful performance. If anything had gone wrong any driver would have had medical and fire protection within seconds.
Pocomoke fireman were also nearby on the race track through the entire evening.
Their appearance was quite a comfort to see. I applaud them all for taking their private time to protect others.
3 comments:
As a member of the Pocomoke City Volunteer Fire Company, I thank you for your kind words!
Thank you! :)
I appreciate your comment.
Not that I don't always appreciate the FD but on hot days like today I appreciate them even more. To think that the members are more than willing to go out in this heat to save our, (most of us strangers to them) lives and our property is amazing. Thank You!!
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