Scaled Down Thrill Show Held This Weekend
by Alex Lloyd Gross
Alex Lloyd Gross Photo- Delaware Valley News.com People check out the back of a medic unit.
For those that went to the 70th Annual Thrill Show, they had a lot of fun. This event has been scaled back substantially from what it once was and it’s sad. Money raised goes to pay for the education of the police and fire personnel that were killed in the line of duty.
This year, instead of going big, it went the other way. For once, the fire department was giving rides on firetrucks ( no siren) . However, there was no fire demonstration, no fire prevention show, just rides and tour of the trucks.
The police have special units, that used to show up and explain what they did, Community Relations, Bomb Squad, Communications, Homeland Security, AID, All had trucks there with tables set up. This year only SWAT, Tac Air and the Marine Unit were there with static displays.
Alex Lloyd Gross Photo Delaware Valley News.com You can be driven around in a fire truck
There was a K-9 demonstration and the drill team showed off with motorcycle stunts. Of course, they drew their share of “ooh’s and ahhs”. There should be MORE.
In 1996 Sylvester Stallone showed up. The place was packed. Philly sports legends would at times make an appearance. Advertising for this important event was next to nothing. When confronted about it, Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel simply said “I Know” Fire Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson was also aware and promised to “Have an after action meeting with Commissioner Bethel, . We want to bring it back to where it was,” Thompson said.