Beach Memories: 1988 Video of Fire and Parade
The Maryland State Firemen’s Association Convention starts this weekend in Ocean City. I am heading to the beach on Sunday and will be there through Tuesday. Paul Sterling and Leonard King have invited me to emcee the installation of officers on Tuesday night. I will be updating STATter 911 from the beach.
When I was a volunteer I never went to the MSFA Convention. Oxon Hill VFD always paid some of us $100 each, to stay back and make sure we had enough people in town to run calls. I always opted to take the money and ride.
If my memory is correct, my first time at the convention was in 1988. I was sent by Channel 9 to cover a fatal fire in an old motel. The fire killed 2 teenagers from York, Pennsylvania. Fourteen others were injured in the blaze at the Beachcomber Motel. It happened at the same time as the MSFA Convention was beginning. I recall that Wesley Gerald, who recently retired from Fairfax County’s Public Safety Communications Center, was very helpful in getting us pictures and information about the fire.
CLICK ON EITHER PICTURE TO SEE 1988 REPORT ON OCEAN CITY FIRE
I believe after the 1988 fire, there hadn’t been another fatal fire in Ocean City until just a few months ago.
I ended staying in Ocean City for much of that week covering the fire. Before we left, photographer, and later Rockville VFD member, Sheldon Levy and I did a story on the parade.
