Dedication to safety is second to none at Mercer
By Mike Dutko
For 7/9/04
Despite what some people would like to believe, a true race fan is not sitting in the stands to see somebody wreck their racecar. We know and understand that if and when something bad happens on the track, it is our family, friends, and neighbors who are out there. A wild flip can mean the loss of as much as $10,000! Nobody in their right mind would be in the stands cheering for that to happen.
That being said, crashes are a part of our sport. Sometimes they are spectacular in nature. When an on track disaster happens, the fate of the driver rests in the hands of the emergency crew. At Mercer Raceway Park, we are very proud of the fact that under the direction of Keith Shilling, we were the first race track in the state to be certified in race track safety. It should come as no surprise to anybody by now that Mercer Raceway Park once again set the standard other tracks will strive to attain. It may be the one time we at Mercer Raceway Park hope our competitors reach their goal. Safety is the number one concern every time a race car takes to the track.
I mentioned Keith Shilling. This is a one amazing guy. Now in my sixth year at Mercer I simply marvel at his expertise. To witness a professional like Keith, who is so committed to his craft, is an amazing site to see. To understand his commitment, you must first understand the difference between commitment and dedication. The example I use most often to explain the difference between commitment and dedication is a ham and egg breakfast. The chickens are dedicated to the cause, the pigs are committed.
I have seen first hand the wonders of knowledge he possesses. I have seen him work calmly and methodically, and I have seen the care and compassion he gives to every one he reaches out to in their time of need, from a young child who was stung by a wayward bee, to a fan that would have suffered a fatal heart attack were it not for Keith Shilling, to a driver whose safety hangs in the balance as Keith carefully extricates him from a mangled racecar.
Keith is so committed to his work at Mercer Raceway Park, this was the first time in the six years we have been open that he even took a vacation. That’s the way it is for Keith, but he’s not alone in his pursuit to provide outstanding safety for the competitors and fans at Mercer Raceway Park. The staff of Life Force Ambulance who are at the track every week, and the volunteer fire fighters from Mercer East End, Pine Township, and Jefferson Township who work at the track on a rotating basis each week make Mercer Raceway Park one of the safest racetracks in the country.
Next week, July 17 Mercer Raceway Park will take a few minutes to honor the hundreds of committed men and women of the emergency service agencies throughout the Mercer County area with our annual “EMS Community Sireeen Rally”. During intermission the track will lined with fire trucks, ambulances, and rescue vehicles of all shapes and sizes. If you have never seen it is an amazing site. The track will be completely ringed with emergency vehicles, lights flashing, horn blasting, and sirens wailing. With a number of communities no longer allowing sirens to be sounded during their parades it is a rare chance for these committed volunteers to “blow” off a little steam. The coup’ de grace, if their schedule permits, is when the Medevac Helicopter has time to visit the track and they buzz the race track while the other vehicles circle it. Last year was the first time their busy schedule permitted such an appearance. Words can not describe just how awesome it was.
So I hope you can be with us to honor the unsung heroes of our local emergency agencies as we celebrate their commitment to public safety with the Sireeeen Rally. Along with this Regional Safety Awareness Night, “Barney Fife” impersonator, Mick Kieffer will make his first ever appearance. Kieffer’s act is nationally-known as he will bring his ’63 Ford and traveling museum with him along with an “Otis Campbell” and “Barney, Jr.” impersonator.
If you can’t be there, don’t forget they hold fund raises all year long. When enough people dig in their pockets for a couple dollars to buy a raffle ticket, or put a couple bucks in the boot at a fund raising drive it can literally mean the difference between life and death. So be generous when they ask for your support. Without them we would be in a world of hurt, (no pun intended).
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