Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/75653
Scan with your Smartphone! INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Fencer's Field Report • Let your fence pride show Creating a functional organization, by Tom Luby • Plan now for FENCETECH'13 Procedures for addressing sensitive issues should be plainly stated, by Jim Lucci The ten truths of bid day, by Steve Saucerman • Fencer's Marketplace Classifieds AUGUST 2012 CELEBRATING OUR 28TH YEAR OF PUBLICATION • BE SURE TO VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.WORLDFENCENEWS.COM On Friday night, June 15, Nik Wallenda became the first person to tightwire walk directly over Niagara Falls, slowly and carefully following the steel thread through gusting winds and heavy mist, which tremendously complicated the daring stunt. Wallenda, the seventh-generation member of the Flying Wallendas cir- cus troupe to enter the risky profes- sion, walked 1,800 feet from the U.S. to Canada, 200 of those feet directly above the thunderous Niagara River's Horseshoe Falls. Niagara Falls fence company enjoys brush with fame as contractor on historic Wallenda tightwire spectacle panels for crowd control and to cordon off the areas where the 2 inch diameter cable would be se- cured after being positioned over the falls by a Hughes MD-500 helicop- ter. So not only did Wallenda was the first to cross the gorge since 1896. But while his 19th- century predecessors took it to crazy extremes — walking blindfolded, or manacled, or backward — they were not directly over the falls. Wallenda was the first to do that — although ABC required that he wear a safety harness. But while everyone except those gathered on the U.S. and Canadian sides where Wallenda en- tered and exited the tightwire had to be content to view the feat live on ABC Television and affiliates, some were more fortunate – such as Mark Fox and the crew of veteran Niagara Falls, N.Y. contractor Fox Fence, Inc. Fox Fence was contracted to in- stall approximately 2,000 lineal feet of 6-foot high temporary chain link fence Fox Fence person- nel have ringside seats to the intense preparation for the walk, they also had the honor of actu- ally helping make the historic event happen. "The hardest part was dealing with the tourists as we were installing the fence," said Mark, who supervised the project. "It was very interesting, as we were the first ones on site Mon- day morning, and as the day pro- gressed, truck after truck of equipment arrived to string the cable across the falls, as well as to deliver media equipment. (A rope was first fed across the gorge with a heli- copter and then the cable was pulled across on that, Mark noted.) "Media crews from around the world brought in massive amounts of equipment. We got an additional job to secure the media equipment, as the tourists just wander everywhere and had to be kept away from the equipment. We worked directly for Nik. He is a hands-on type of guy who manages every detail of set up and fi- nancing himself." Prior to Nik Wallenda performing his daring – some called it crazy – traverse of Niagara Falls (left), well over a year was spent planning and practicing for the walk, and designing the tightwire structure. An important element in the installation was shielding the construction crews and equipment from wandering tourists (and vice versa), and that is where Fox Fence came in. The veteran Niagara Falls fence contractor installed and then rapidly removed about 2,000 lineal feet of temporary chain link fence panels, working directly under Nik Wallenda. In far left photo, Fox Fence's Chuck Brolinski, Bill Fox and Mark Fox with Niagara Falls in the background. (Fox Fence, Inc. photos) The event took place on a Friday evening, and the park needed to be re- stored by Saturday. "By the time our first crew arrived early Saturday morn- ing, the cable was already down and everyone was moving out. Nik was even there Saturday morning helping with the cleanup. He autographed one of the signs that we had on the fence that is hanging in our office," said Mark. "He is a very down to earth person; he even went around and shook hands and thanked the crew for their help in making the event happen. continued on page 7