By Shavonne Potts
Salisbury PostAn estimated 3,000 people attended funeral services for Victor Isler and Justin Monroe ó two Salisbury firefighters who died a week ago while responding to a fire that destroyed Salisbury Millwork.
But before a single one of those people stepped into Catawba College’s Omwake-Dearborn Chapel and Keppel Auditorium, many others had spent hours planning preparing a path for all those people. Officials with the Salisbury Police and Catawba College security officers along with other law enforcement agencies organized a strategic parking plan.
Salisbury Police Deputy Chief Steve Whitley explained that two distinct events took place Thursday ó a funeral and the movement of a huge number of people and vehicles.
“One would not be successful without the other,” he said.
From the operational standpoint, Whitley pointed primarily to parking, safety, any medical emergencies and the multiple facilities used to house the people attending the funeral.
“There’s a contingency plan for the possibility of a variety of events such as weather and medical problems,” Whitley said.
He was even prepared for something as unlikely as protesters showing up for one reason or another.
The planning brought together disparate agencies, such as:
– Cabarrus County Emergency Medical Service, which parked an ambulance and crew beside the chapel in the event someone had a medical emergency.
– Albemarle Police, whose officers helped cordon off the area around the chapel and other designated areas until the family arrived.
“We are trying to provide as much services as possible without compromising the integrity of the event,” Whitley said.
He said if nothing unusual happened and there were no major incidents, as far as he was concerned, it would be a major success.
Off-site parking, with shuttle service to the funeral, was provided at several locations, including Food Lion at 123 Mahaley Ave., near the Ketner Center, which held 250 to 300 spaces. Also Towne Pharmacy, 1408 W. Innes St.,which provided 75-100 spaces and Salisbury Mall, with 500 spaces.
Even with more than 1,000 off-site spaces reserved, Whitley said the first few parking lots were filled, with a few spaces scattered in the other reserved lots.
Officials also had to plan for the multitude of large fire trucks coming from out of town as well as local emergency agencies.
And, of course, they had to clear a path for dignitaries and families of firefighters.
Catawba College officials blocked off parking Wednesday night and were ready to help park and direct cars, buses and fire trucks early Thursday morning.
“We couldn’t do this without them,” he said of Catawba personnel. Catawba College Communications Officer Tonia Black-Gold and others helped implement the parking and security.
Black-Gold went so far as to move a tree to make the work of TV camera operators and print photographers a little easier.
After considerable discussion, officials grouped members of the media at a fountain about halfway between Keppel Auditorium and Omwake-Dearborn Chapel. Photographers objected to the distance as well as to a small tree standing next to the fountain directly in the line of sight to the chapel.
A number of photographers speculated Thursday morning that the 5-foot tree might fall victim to a beaver or unnamed woodcutter. Then, Black-Gold asked Catawba maintenance workers to dig the tree up whole, removing one objection altogether.
Likewise, knowing media would be stationed around it, the fountain got a serious scrubbing from Catawba maintenance crews.
But when WBTV-Channel 3 reporter David Whisnant, a Salisbury resident, heard of plans to cut the fountain on, he urgently advised against it. He explained to officials that television reporters would be trying to pick up sounds ó such as the bagpipes ó around the chapel as mourners arrived, but the fountain waters would have sounded “like Niagara Falls” in those sensitive TV microphones.
The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, the N.C. Highway Patrol and the Gastonia and Huntersville police departments were also instrumental in parking and security for the funeral.
“There are a lot of people involved in pulling this off,” Whitley said.
He credited much of the parking plan to Salisbury Police Lt. Melonie Thompson and Sgt. Shelia Lingle.
The two women met with officials earlier in the week to discuss how the plan would unfold.
“Our plan as far as parking has been flawless. It was an outstanding job by everybody,” Whitley said.
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Photography Editor Wayne Hinshaw contributed to this article.
Contact Shavonne Potts at 704-797-4253 or spotts@salisburypost.com.