Some area law enforcement agencies report mostly safe 110th



GREENFIELD (WITI) -- You'll remember the rumble and the roar, and all the characters on the Summerfest grounds and on Harley-Davidson bikes, but it's the motorcycle missteps that first responders were bracing for during the Harley 110th anniversary celebration.

In the communities surrounding Milwaukee, first responders were ready for anything, but nothing serious seemed to surface.

"We prepare for the worst and hope for the best, and we didn't really experience anything out of the unusual relating to motorcycles," Greenfield Fire Chief Jon Cohn said.

Cohn says calls for help during Harley-Davidson's 110th anniversary celebration were few and far between, and firefighters in Brookfield and New Berlin echoed the sentiments.

Cohn says his department made more emergency runs due to dehydration and visitors overheating than for motorcycle collisions.

"When that many riders come to town you'd think you'd see a spike and we didn't. Drivers were more aware our police department did a great job of ushering traffic. We're fortunate," Cohn said.

But not all riders were fortunate. At least five were injured in crashes in Racine County, Ozaukee County, Waukesha County and Milwaukee County, and a fatal crash was reported in Sheboygan County.

"For the amount of motorcycles proportionally you would maybe expect more," Cohn said.

"I've seen this as about as safe as it's ever been for one of these celebrations. For the most part, most of the motorcyclists have been riding very safe," a Harley rider told FOX6 News.