Something is Fishy!

Location:?Fish Market – Baltimore, Maryland?????????

Date:?1970 something

Scenario:?Young boys strolling through fish market

As kids, Saturday mornings were all about hopping on the couch with the dog and a bowl of cereal, and watching cartoons until Mom kicked us out of the house.?Without VCRs or DVRs, if you missed a cartoon, you missed it, and that was to be avoided at all costs.?One Saturday a month, however, we did not mind getting up extra early and missing the antics of Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny.?That was the Saturday that my grandfather “Pop” took us downtown to the Fish Market.?

The Fish Market was an amazing wonderland of sights, smells, and tastes that can only be?understood by those who have shared the experience.?Seafood and fish of all sizes, shapes, and colors were on display for the hundreds of folks wandering among the vendor tables.?Watching the men effortlessly behead and descale the fish was one of our favorite (but sometimes gross) sights.?The morning at the market was not complete until we were allowed to reach into the giant pickle barrel and select one of the tastiest pickles one could ever consume.

As we got a bit older, Pop would take us from the Fish Market to see other sights in downtown Baltimore.?For those that have never been there, Baltimore is a treasure trove of historic museums, buildings, and other sights that will make a history buff salivate. ?The sloop of war, USS Constellation,(https://historicships.org/explore/uss-constellation) is anchored in Baltimore Harbor.?Being a Navy veteran, Pop took great delight in regaling us with stories of the Constellation's adventures in defense of our country. We were mesmerized as we climbed aboard the ship and imagined we were sailors engaged in battle with the French frigate,?L'Insurgente? in the West Indies in 1799.?(https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/museums/nmusn/explore/photography/ships-us/ships-usn-c/uss-constellation-frigate-1797-1853.html)

Adjacent to the Constellation was another of our favorites, the USS Torsk, a WWII era submarine.?We thought that the sharks teeth painted on the bow of the ship were the coolest, and were astonished that men could actually live inside the cramped quarters! (https://historicships.org/explore/uss-torsk )

One of the most interesting places we visited was the Baltimore Shot Tower.?(https://explore.baltimoreheritage.org/items/show/200?) As kids, we were fascinated by the shape of the tower and loved hearing Pop explain to us the purpose of the building.?The process for making “drop shot” was high tech at the time and was used for 110 years.?Eventually, new technologies were developed that made the shot towers obsolete.?These new technologies did not produce a different product, rather they were new manufacturing processes, designed to make a good product better, and produce more of it in a shorter time.?

As engineers we are continually on the lookout for better, more efficient ways to design and construct our infrastructure projects.?This would include searching for innovative products that can better deliver a project that will function as designed, and stand the test of time.?Sometimes, however, products that have served American infrastructure for over 100 years are still the best option.?Engineers have a responsibility to perform due diligence when selecting materials for infrastructure projects.?"Approved for use" does not necessarily mean "equal to".

Not only is it our charge to hold paramount the safety and well being of the public, but it is ultimately the Professional Engineer’s responsibility when a product he or she selects does not perform properly.?Keep this in mind when being asked to save a few dollars by specifying a cheaper product.?The person who is asking you to do this most likely is not affixing his or her PE stamp to the project.?Trust but verify!

22 veterans a day lose their battles with the demons brought home from combat zones. Please reach out to and check up on those that you know, and consider our veterans and first responders when choosing charities to support. Here are some ideas:

Camp Hope

Mighty Oaks Foundation

wheelchairsforwarriors.org

Tunnels to Towers

www.heroesonthewater.org

www.veteranoutdoors.com

A Hero's Promise

Ron Reichert attended Drexel University where he earned a BS in Civil Engineering. He has been heavily involved with ASCE committees and events at the local, state and national level, as well as regularly participating in APWA, IAI, and numerous other professional societies. Ron has over 20 years of experience in specification and selection of infrastructure materials.