VIENNA - Township residents here are getting ready for thousands of visitors next month.
With the turnout expected for the Youngs-town Air Reserve Station for Thunder Over The Valley, residents are learning how Vienna will deal with them all. The plans were discussed at a meeting of the Vienna Township Neighborhood Watch Monday night.
With more than 40,000 people expected to be moving through the Air base and early birds working their way to the parking lots as early as 6 a.m., organizers say it will take a little help from everyone to keep things running smoothly for the Thunderbirds aerial demonstration team on Aug. 8 and 9.
The show won't begin until Saturday, Aug. 8 but traffic around the air base may be slowed or restricted in some areas starting Friday afternoon. Lt. Col. Mark Ables said Friday will be a practice run for the Thunderbirds.
On each day through the weekend, there will be a 12,000-foot-by-3,000-foot restricted area surrounding the air base, which Ables said was for FAA regulations. Under the rules, there can be no ground traffic within that square. The personnel at the meeting said the only two buildings within that space are one vacant home and Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport, which will close its terminals while the stunt planes are in use.
On Aug. 8 and 9, visitors are expected to arrive starting at about 6 a.m., three hours before the gates to the base open. The shows should start around noon, according to personnel.
Chief Trumbull Sheriff's Deputy Ernie Cook said parking would be restricted along the roadways surrounding the base. Residents near the show who are not home may want to consider posting 'no parking' signs in their front yards, he said.
Tickets to the three parking areas are color coded by lots, they said. Visitors should have their parking tickets displayed in their windows as they find their parking lot. There will be shuttle service from some lots, which will be free, according to Chief Master Sgt. Dave Kane.
Capt. Ryan Robin said everyone going into the base will have to go through a security screening.
"It's pretty close to TSA rules, like you're boarding a flight," Robin said.
Visitors will not be allowed to bring weapons or anything that could be used as a weapon inside the base. Those can be left in their cars. The base will also have boxes where these items can be placed, but their owners will not get them back, Robin said.
Per agreement with the vendors at the show, guests will not be allowed to have outside food or drink in the base. Guests can bring water in clear plastic bottles as well as hand coolers with baby formula, according to Robin.
Folding chairs are allowed.
No pets are allowed into the base, unless they are a service animal, such as a seeing eye dog.
Special Agent Corey Christman of the special investigations unit at the Air Reserve Station said that the base is not expecting anything dangerous to happen, but people should be on the lookout for suspicious activity around the base. He said people should call his 24-hour line at 330-609-1277 if they notice anything strange.
Vienna Township Trustee Phil Pegg said the township will have all of its officers on duty to help residents during the weekend. He also said that the 911 dispatch center would be staffed with extra dispatchers during the weekend. Their number is 330-675-2730.
