LOGAN, Utah — Firefighters with the Logan City Fire Department helped bring down a damaged American flag outside of a hotel Friday afternoon.
According to Battalion Chief Andy Shock, who oversees training at the agency, the SpringHill Suites by Marriott at 635 Riverwood Parkway had been working to replace their damaged flag ahead of the Memorial Day holiday.
However, the flag was fully wrapped around the top of the flag pole, leaving them unable to lower it properly. Thus, they contacted Logan City Fire for help. Fire Marshall Aaron Walker tells FOX 13 News that the agency often helps with proper retirement of American flags as a service to the community.
Under the U.S. Flag Code, damaged flags are to be "destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning." Different organizations across the country, such as Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Girls Scout and Boy Scouts, collect damaged flags and conducted flag retirement ceremonies. Those are traditionally conducted on June 14, Flag Day.
The ceremony entails two rows of participants standing 20 feet apart, facing each other.
A small fire burns between the rows, opposite a commander or leader, who conducts a final inspection to determine if the flag should be discarded. The flag detail dips the retired flag in kerosene, then places it upon a rack over the fire, whereupon a bugler sounds "To the Colors."
For those unable to hand off their damaged flags to any of the organizations, Veterans of Foreign Wars provides instruction on how to conduct a flag retirement ceremony privately.
First, the flag is folded in the customary manner, as would be done by the Honor Guard. Then, a flame large enough to full consume the flag is lit. Before placing the flag on the fire, you're instructed to salute the flag and say the Pledge of Allegiance, or hold a moment of silence.
The Department of War also says if the flag is made of a material that is not safe to burn, such as nylon, they can also be buried in a similar dignified fashion, or given to groups that specialize in recycling flags.
