There are plenty of fun activities to be found in the Centralia area on the 4th of July, just a few of which are the downtown parade, some amazing fireworks and the “I Ran From The Cops” 8K fun run and SWAT Challange. With our communications van in place and set up by 6:30am, runners began to filter in, warm up and sign in for the activities. Some runners were looking for a real challenge while others were just hoping to finish the race. The morning was cool with some light drizzle from time to time but that didn’t seem to make a difference. It is July 4th and it is a good day for a run.
Within the hour, other ARES team members began showing up for their assigned intersections along the run course. These volunteers were a “visible presence” in their yellow vests. Additionally, their job was to slow traffic and make sure all runners stayed on the course. One part of the course created a special hazard with lots of large trucks and very little shoulder on the road so extra volunteers made sure each truck driver slowed down and paid attention to the runners ahead. With most of the course passing through quiet residential areas, the runners had little to worry about especially with marked police cars and yellow vested volunteers watching over them.
The fun run began the day and lasted only about two hours. Within a short time, our ARES volunteers were moving into the downtown area and changing assignments for the July 4th parade. The 4th of July might be a relaxing time for others, but it was a very busy day for our Amateur Radio Emergency Service team. Thanks for all you do to make our community safe!
