Thursday, April 24, 2008

Spring Fling Brings Multiple Runs

On April 24, 1982 the Spring Fling, a 12-hour outside rock concert sponsored by a SSC Fraternity drew 11,000 people to the small community requiring numerous responses from the Shippensburg Fire Department. At 4:00 p.m. while treating a patient in the concert crowd a CV ambulance was stolen and involved in a high-speed chase before being stopped on I-81 N. bound ½ mile from exit 10. The unit suffered body and suspension damage in the incident. At 8:23 p.m. the fire department responded to the Conrail line next to the concert after someone set fire to an 800-gallon kerosene tank. The flames spread to nearby natural cover before being controlled by firefighters. Two firemen Bradley Myers, Captain of the Vigilant Hose and Jeff Washinger, Assistant Chief of WEFR suffered second-degree burns battling the blaze. Firefighters also responded to numerous auto accidents and many EMS incidents before the night was over. Later the next morning firefighters responded to an auto fire on the grounds. Once on scene the vehicles owner displayed a shotgun to firefighters and would not allow them to extinguish the fire. By the time the day ended little Shippensburg had the opportunity to experience big city life.

I found this patch on Ebay a few months back and wanted to purchase it, but it went to high for me since I did not know if it was Pennsylvania. Does anybody out there recognize this patch? Was it used here in Cumberland County, Pa. or a different Cumberland county.

5 comments:

ShippensburgRealtor said...

Brad, I emailed your blog to Cumberland County 9-1-1 Supervisor John Sheaffer - he responded "It was our unofficial patch….Dispatcher Dick Carpenter attempted to get everyone to voluntarily buy uniform shirts, etc….and this was the patch he designed.

Brad Myers said...

Thanks for the information, now I wish I would not have been so cheap, it did go pretty high for a patch.

Wynnyrd said...

Do you have any pictures of the incidents that occurred back in '82?

Brad Myers said...

No I do not have any photos from the incidents.

John Snyder said...

That was a wild party. I was there, KIX was playing if I am correct
John Snyder