When the engines roar and the first cars slam into one another at the Delaware County Fair, Walton Fire Chief Bob Brown and his crew - along with volunteer firefighters from throughout the county - are watching closely.
They are not there to pick a favorite driver.
They are there to make sure everyone - drivers, spectators and firefighters alike - goes home safely.
“We’ve been doing it for pushing 50 years, I would say,” Brown said. His department is ready for fire suppression, extrication in case of emergencies on the track to protect drivers and spectators.
For nearly five decades, the Walton Fire Department has provided fire and emergency medical coverage for the fair’s demolition derbies. The department also helps cover tractor pulls, modified tractor pulls, truck pulls and thrill shows.
And it takes a small army.
A typical derby night brings 20 to 30 firefighters and EMS personnel from throughout the county to the fairgrounds. Crews arrive hours before the event, prepare their equipment, work throughout the show and then return everything to the firehouse afterward. Fire police are also instrumental for crowd control.
“It’s a lot of man hours that goes into it,” Brown said. “And a lot of hard work.”
The Walton department also gets help from fire companies throughout the county. Bloomville typically handles one of the tractor pulls, while Delhi helps with truck pulls.
So while visitors are enjoying the fair, a countywide network of volunteers is working behind the scenes.
What happens behind the barricades?
Before the first car enters the track, firefighters have already prepared.
The fair’s demolition derby committee handles the track and its barriers, while fire officials work with the derby organizers on emergency access and safety.
In recent years, changes have been made to improve protection around the track, including adjustments to barriers and the creation of a perimeter roughly 20 feet behind them. Warning lights and protective netting in front of the grandstands provide additional safeguards.
Fire crews also stage hoses, extinguishers and vehicle-extrication equipment at four designated gates around the track.
This year, two trucks from different departments will remain stationed on the fairgrounds throughout the week, reducing response time if an emergency occurs.
The preparation extends beyond the fairgrounds. Firefighters from across the county trained earlier this year for a range of potential emergencies, including evacuating the fairgrounds.
“It’s better to be proactive than reactive,” Brown said.
Just before the derby begins, Brown reviews procedures with the firefighters and EMS personnel assigned to the event.
His biggest concern is not the cars.
It is his crew.
“My biggest fear down there is one of our people getting hurt,” Brown said. “My number one concern is my firefighter and EMS people - their health and safety.”
The job requires constant attention. Firefighters watch for flames, damaged vehicles and drivers who may be injured after a collision.
“You might see somebody that got hit really hard and got their bell rung,” Brown said. “So you end up notifying somebody to red flag it so they can check that person out.”
The noise makes the job even more challenging.
“You put your radio and your microphone for your radio right up next to your ear,” Brown said. “It is very, very noisy down there.”
For firefighters, the fair is also a classroom
The fair’s track events give newer firefighters a chance to work alongside more experienced members.
Each of the four fire gates has an experienced firefighter in charge. Other crew members can practice handling hose lines, extinguishers and other equipment under their supervision.
“It’s a great training exercise,” Brown said.
The experience is valuable because emergencies do not always announce themselves in advance. A firefighter may have to move quickly from watching a vehicle to responding to an actual emergency.
Brown tells his crews to remember why they are there.
“If you’re there to watch a certain driver, your son is out there, your daughter is out there or your brother,” he said, “you need to step back and go watch it with the rest of the audience because what we’re watching is multiple MVAs in progress at the time.”
In other words, the fair may be entertainment for the crowd, but for the firefighters, it is work.
A front-row seat to community service
For Brown, fair coverage represents something bigger than fire protection.
“We serve, protect life and property in a community,” he said. “That’s in our oath that we take when we’re sworn in, and it’s community service.”
That tradition is becoming harder to maintain as volunteer fire and EMS departments struggle with recruitment.
“Over the years, volunteer firefighters, EMS numbers have dwindled in New York State and across the country,” Brown said.
Walton’s most recent recruitment effort in Aril produced just one application.
Brown hopes the fair can help visitors see the people behind the equipment - and perhaps inspire someone to join them.
The work can be difficult and sometimes dangerous. But the reward, Brown said, is knowing that someone needed help and a volunteer was there.
“At the end of the day, when you get done, you go home, and there’s a good feeling that you helped somebody out,” he said.
So when you come to the Delaware County Fair this year, watch the demolition derby. Cheer for your favorite driver. Feel the grandstand shake when the cars collide.
And take a moment to look beyond the track.
Behind the barricades, you’ll find another fair tradition - one that has lasted nearly 50 years and depends on volunteers who spend their nights making sure the rest of us can enjoy the show.
That may be one of the fair’s best traditions of all.
For thousands of visitors, the best outcome is that they never notice the work being done.
That means the firefighters did their job.
* All volunteer fire departments are seeking volunteers. Contact your local department for more information.
