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Small Rural Service Tackles Big Challenge
When Mechanicsburg Fire Department officials received notification that country music superstar Luke Bryan would be holding an outdoor concert on Sept. 16, 2022, at Spring Fork Farms in Mechanicsburg, Ohio, they knew there would be serious challenges to address.
The Mechanicsburg Fire and EMS Department was tasked with making sure that not only the general safety needs of the event would be addressed, but also that the onsite emergency medical service needs of all patrons would be properly and adequately provided for.
All these concerns would have to receive priority attention, along with assuring that continued service to the general public would not be interrupted. In a community with a service population of approximately 7,500 residents, a sudden influx of 15,000 concertgoers creates a substantial challenge for rural public safety.
These tasks would require careful planning that would involve every intricate aspect of a number of any given scenarios. Large entertainment events of this nature bring their own unique culture along with a wide variety of people who view music entertainment with a unique perspective.
Preparation and Planning
The fire department received notification of the event in early spring 2022. That gave officials less than six months to prepare.
Mechanicsburg Fire Chief Robert Keene immediately assumed a leadership role and began to formulate a plan to ensure a successful and safe event. Knowing that the magnitude of such a mass gathering would create a staffing hardship for his local fire department, Keene reached out to surrounding departments for assistance.
Johnson St. Paris Fire Department, Madison County EMD, Jerome Township Fire Dept., and Northeast Champaign County Fire District all graciously committed to send an EMS crew along with a vehicle to the event to help ease staffing concerns.
General EMS oversight was coordinated with a group of local volunteer nurses from Mercy Health Systems. Collectively, onsite medical staffing consisted of prehospital paramedics, nursing, and EMT medical professionals.
Event-Day Logistics
Over the following months and up to the day of the event, Chief Keene and Mechanicsburg Fire Dept. Capt. Jamie Adams, along with other local public safety officials, established a written command structure that was finalized and prepared for implementation on event day.
Substantial input from concert organizers proved to be an invaluable resource in key decision strategies. The final plan would include additional key players vital to the event. Contracted event security worked closely with the Madison County Sheriff’s Department to ensure orderly conduct and safety of all concert patrons. Public safety services from surrounding counties would also provide additional resources in terms of equipment and expanded communication capabilities.
Finally, event day arrived, and the Luke Bryan “Farm Tour” concert took place as scheduled. The concert proved to be a success for all involved. Thanks to the meticulous efforts of those charged with the task of on-site general safety, recordable incidents were kept at a minimal level. Fire department officials kept a constant vigil of overseeing patron activity on the event grounds, which allowed them to respond with no delay. Fire inspectors also assured that the structural integrity of all assembled platforms was never compromised.
Unsurpassed Competence
Managing a rural fire department that typically employs a select staff of part-time employees presents a unique set of challenges that require their own individual approach. Often, these day-to-day challenges can prove overwhelming to administrative staff and to part-time and volunteer staff who juggle full-time employment and home life in their schedules. When atypical large-scale events such as this concert attract several thousand people, local public safety services are truly tested.
All local public safety services around the Mechanicsburg area demonstrated an unsurpassed level of competence. Residents of small communities such as Mechanicsburg are fortunate to have dedicated citizens who choose to accept the challenges and responsibilities of making sure the public enjoys a safe community to live in, regardless of unforeseen circumstances.
Steve Castle is assistant fire chief and EMS coordinator for Mechanicsburg (Ohio) Fire Dept.
Comments
Hopefully the concert organizers and Luke Bryan acknowledged the first responders of all agencies during the concert and made a contribution to their organizations.
--Anonymous