Outside a volunteer fire company in Towamensing Township, PA a cell tower had the residents up in arms. Not over the tower, but what’s attached to it: a ripped and tattered American flag. BRCTV reported the sight was displeasing to residents and a “slap in the face” to veterans.
All eyes turned to tower owner Crown Castle to remedy the matter and, as of yesterday morning, a new “Old Glory” is flying over Towamensing.
Crown brought in a special crane for the repair Thursday morning with due apologies to residents and assurances it will be monitored more closely in the future. The problem, according to Crown Castle Director of Public Relations Andrea Bradford, was that the tower was not an ideal structure for a flag and has sharp bolts on the pole that caused the unnaturally fast tearing.
“We have tried rubber caps, which fell off,” Bradford told Inside Towers, “and then a rubber solution that still did not prevent the bolts from ripping the flag. We were certainly alarmed by the condition of the flag when we were notified and share our respect for it and feel it’s our patriotic duty to keep it in good condition,” she said. Until a more permanent solution is found to mitigate the bolt problem, Bradford said Crown will keep a closer eye on it.
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