BRIDGE DAY ALERT!!

[truckerbase]

I can understand increased awareness and caution at bridgeday this year but I hope the nps understands two things: One. There are infinitely better, more symbolic, better known, and easier targets than bridgeday. Any NFL game, Baseball game (televised, as american as apple pie, etc.), any state fair, convention, or in fact, any major american city is infinitely a better and more meaningful target than bridgeday. Even if someone in Afghanistan had heard of bridgeday, and blew it up, if americans or the world read it in the Newspapers they'd be like "what got blown up?" or "So???". It is very unlikely that out of all american events, gatherings, and cities, that this almost illegal event with no specific american associations would be a target, now. The terrorists are on the run and being hunted. Two. Basejumpers are a technically very knowledgeable group, are a very small group; we'd know if a bomber came on to the bridge as a basejumper, we know the gear, we know the look, we know eachother to a great extent. Reasonable security, heightened awareness; but reasonable clearance requirements with sufficient time to provide the requested information. Presidential orders say return to normal.
Let's get a balanced perspective here, NPS, Local law enforcement, state government...

[guest]

must have been a reason for taking out the financial district;

concentratred intelectual powers?, financial infrastructure, visibility and so on.

A bridge in the midlle of somewhere ocupied by loonies? :D
sure

[guest]

Jeez, are you all really that paranoid? It's a wonder anything ever gets jumped.:x

It doesn't matter who knows you jump so long as you don't get caught.

Where's Robin Heid when you need him?

Robin, come and tell us all what we should think.

I'm off to jump the Sheriffs daughter.


:-)

[guest]

You do not have to go - but do check your spelling
:x

[Yuri]

http://www.theonion.com/onion3735/se...beefed_up.html

[guest]

not my language and a slow computer.
ment to say I would feel pretty safe there
failed attempt at sarcasm:-(

[guest]

Bridge Day is canceled..interesting info :x

[base719]

719

Re: 2003

Who's gonna run it? Jason we hope. If not who? go fast with "you know who"? Avery?

[base428]

Nobody put in a bid to run it this year. The BDC is talking to Go Fast about running it again. I'd like to be involved with it, but all the time involved along with the HIGH risk of not making a dime is too much.

Perhaps this will be a hint to the BDC that they need to remove the $10 per jumper fee that goes to the Chamber of Commerce.

PS.. The head of the BDC (Keith Spangler) just resigned.

------------
Jason Bell (BASE428)
Email: jbell@vertical-visions.com
Web: www.vertical-visions.com or www.bridgeday.info

[Peteb]

peteb
Now that Bridge Day 2003 has come and gone I was amused by the posts by various a'holes (above).
This Bridge Day was a huge success and the entire time, including the Friday Trade Show and renewal of old friendships, meeting jumpers from other countries, watching great videos, plenty of Red Bull, excellent planning by Jason Bell, and the highest number of jumps ever made on Bridge Day, made for the greatest jump day ever.
The party that night was also a fuc*ing blast....we stayed up all night.
Only flaw in the whole three days was the lack of focus at the LZ. The DZ crew was negligent in that they never changed the wind "V" even when the wind changed, hence, a couple of broken legs due to being hit by a cross wind. (There was a hard-to-see wind sock but the jumpers had been instructed on Friday night to fuc*king absolutely watch the "V" and head for the opening.)
I made only one jump and that was around 10:30. Then I hung around the LZ to watch the rest of the day. I really wanted to go out there at the landing area from time to time and tell them to pay attention to the wind so those under canopy would not get misled by the wrong direction of the "V" wind indicator; but I figured the LZ crew knew what they were doing...they didn't.
Better get some sharper people in the LZ in 2004.
By the way, the guys at the launch area were really efficient and knew what they were doing. Thus the line of jumpers moved smoothly.
None of the "big time" jumpers, by the way, hit the target. A first time jumper won the accuracy prize.
Pete

[bird]

gotta say a great job was done in lz. this year we brought in some younger jumpers to help us, and learn what needs to be done @ lz. sooner or later we all will be passing the torch to the next generation ( being they are our link to the future), and they need to learn. and by a hands on is the best way in my oppinion. if any body has any sugestions, im open to to all constructive critisism, so let me know your ideas. dont just complain and then hide!!!! 836 jumps, 3 broken bones, all experienced jumpers, (not newbee's)to base, maybe we need to step back and look at how we are doing, getting older, not as sharp as we used to be. all of our lz staff learned something on b-day 2003. wonder if anyone else did? or maybe they know it all!

my thanks to all lz staff that worked their tails off to make it as safe as possible for landing and spectating jumpers . at times we had jumpers running into the lz for no appearant reasons,we also had media, and spectators wanting to stand in the target area, but we tried to deal with this in the best way.if we didnt have these problems to deal with maybe the lz staff could have given their undivided attention!!

all dz staffers were in harms way all day long, being the eyes for the just landed jumper so as the next wouldnt come blasting in and blind side them. we didnt have any of these types of injuries.

the V has worked well, the winds were lite and variable from app 10a thru the day, changing by the minute, we moved the V several times thru the day (3) time to be exact the prime lz area changed, i talked to a lot of jumpers upon landing and asked their oppinion s of the wind and based our decisions on info obtained from them. in my oppinion our staff did a great job, and the injured jumpers can only blame themselves for their injuries. i saw every injury, and they all could have flared higher for a better landing. except the guy that hit the boom truck, and we moved that!! frankly lz staffers were on them upon touchdown, call for medics and helped protect them and the ems from constant danger, until able to medevac from lz.

the biggest safety hazzard in the lz was the jumper that didnt want to clear the lz so the next jumper could us all of the realestate we had secured. dont get me wrong 98% of the jumper picked up their gear and booked out, and i want to thank them for all of their co-operation. this help the lz staff keep the lz safe THANKS TO ALL!!!! 836 jumps, i bet thats a record, in 22 years i dont rember morejumps than that. maybe we can break the 1000 jump barrier next year:) WE CAN DOIT WITH ALL OF YOUR HELP!!!
be safe
bbird32104@aol.com (you wont find me hiding, im easy to find)

[imported_badenhop]

To all Bridge Day participants:

Security in the USA is tight.
The annual Bridge Day Celebration came close to being cancelled.

There are added security measures BDA will be required to enforce so that the jumpers may get access.
These security measures are being mandated by WEST VIRGINIA STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, as well as FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. These requests have not been initiated by BDA, we are required to comply as well.

All US jumpers must provide Social Security #'s, and Drivers License #'s. Please send this information NOW. The sooner you send this information, the sooner you will get your clearance. Authorities in West Virginia will have the ultimate say in jumper approval. If you don't have a picture ID, get one quick.

All Foreign jumpers must provide Passport #'s and Visa information. Please send this information NOW. The sooner you send this information, the sooner you will get your clearance. Authorities in West Virginia will have the ultimate say in jumper approval. If you don't have a picture ID, get one quick.

Please send your identifying information to:
badenhop@home.com
Include your registration #.

THERE WILL BE NO ON-SITE REGISTRATION.
THERE WILL BE NO ON-SITE REGISTRATION.
If you are not pre-registered, please do not come.
The Government will not allow me to add any names at that late date.
If you show up, you will be sadly disappointed.
THERE WILL BE NO ON-SITE REGISTRATION.
THERE WILL BE NO ON-SITE REGISTRATION.

This is a very serious matter, as we have all been working hard for months on our Bridge Day plans, and this latest security development only adds to the logistic turbulence we already face.

Please provide the information requested IMMEDIATELY.
Tell your friends who are also going to Bridge Day, to do the same.