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Sumter’s role in Shaw Air Expo and open house

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jonathan Bass
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
While the installation prepares for the upcoming Shaw Air Expo and open house, May 21-22, the city of Sumter, South Carolina, has its own role to play.

That role is similar to the base’s role of being the host, in the sense that most attendees visiting for the weekend will stay in area hotels and eating and shopping in local establishments.

Since the Air Show isn’t competing with Memorial Day or a NASCAR race at the Darlington Raceway this year, as it has in the past, the estimated attendance is more than 100,000 visitors, said Chris Hardy, Sumter Chamber of Commerce president.

Although the number of attendees is an estimate, it gives local civic leaders a rough estimate of how much money the local community may see.

“We would certainly expect the impact to be in excess of $1,000,000 to the local economy through retail purchases, restaurant visits, and a small percentage of hotel stays,” said Hardy.

Considering the 2012 air expo’s success and recorded profits, this year’s venture appears to take it a step farther.

Hardy said he expects more than 15,000 additional attendees from the 2012 air show, and approximately $175,000 in additional revenue.

In any case, civic leaders are prepared for the incursion of air show enthusiasts and what it will mean for local businesses.

“It is an extraordinary opportunity for us to showcase Sumter as a great place to live and do business with a fantastic quality of life uncommon in communities of our size,” said Hardy. “We will also be providing spectators with additional information about our community during the air show, which will highlight all we have to offer and the great businesses that can satisfy any need.”

There is another side to the picture though; with the increase in population for the weekend, the possibility for accident or incident increases too.

“We ask that attendees, ‘make safety a personal priority’ by locking their vehicle doors and removing all valuables and accessories, like cell phones, laptops, and mapping devices,” said Sergeant Gary Fowler, Sumter Police Department emergency management coordinator. “Whether home or away, you should always stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. It also is important to avoid impaired and distracted driving. Have a designated driver if you plan to drink and limit cell phone use while driving.”

To deal with the potential recipe for disaster, an antidote is being applied.

“The Sumter Police Department utilizes the ‘Incident Command’ best practices guidelines for all operations,” said Fowler. “All personnel are trained in the principles of the Incident Command Structure and will be briefed as outlined in the policy concerning the expectations of command for this operation.”

While past incidents and accidents have been minor, mainly a few minor traffic accidents and some minor heat exhaustion, expo attendees are asked to stay aware of their surroundings for suspicious activity and to notify uniformed 20th Security Forces Squadron Airmen or a law enforcement official during the weekend.

“The police department’s training curriculum has provided specific skills training for mitigating issues involving the general population,” said Fowler. “Our department’s staff has trained with personnel from the 20th SFS and are cognizant of the mission of all first responders within the area of operation.”

In any case, the air show should give spectators an excellent time and provide local Sumter businesses with an anticipated bump in revenue.