Here is another photo of our beautiful flag flying high above our lovely resort. When I posted a picture of it yesterday, it started me thinking about the mechanics of the flag. Who puts it up and maintains it?
The answer: Our maintenance staff is responsible for putting up and maintaining the flag. With it up so high in the sky, we don't realize how big it really is. On a windy day, it takes at least two people to properly raise the flag.
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| photos from PC website |
Typically, a flag lasts a month or so unless it is very very windy. The supplier that provides the flags can repair them at least two times. If the flag gets too small from repair, they call and ask to retire the flag and a new one is purchased.
There is a website called "Half Staff Alerts" that broadcasts to businesses and organizations that sends email when the president or state official asks flags to be lowered in honor of a certain event.
The most recent half staff was on Sunday, October 9. The message read as follows:
President Obama will issue a proclamation for the American flag to be flown at half-staff honoring our Nation's firefighters. That half-staff date will be Sunday, October 9, 2016.
67 firefighters lost their lives this year. Regrettably, this is one of the most overlooked half-staff memorials probably due to being held on a Sunday. I hope everyone will make a strong effort to comply with this important event honoring our firefighters.
Some flags, like the ones commonly seen in school classrooms or on houses, are fixed in a certain position on their poles. How does one handle the sticky situation of a flag that physically can't be flown at half-staff? The United States Code doesn't cover this conundrum, but the American Legion advocates adding a black ribbon to the top of the flag's pole to indicate mourning.
Thank you to Lillie Corbitt for leading me to the information.
