January 18, 2011
PROTOCOL FOR LOWERING U.S. OR STATE FLAGS
The U.S. flag can be lowered to half-staff only at the direction of the President of the United States or the Governor of a U.S. state. 1 The state flag can be lowered only at the direction of the Governor. If the U.S. flag is lowered to half-staff, all flags are lowered to half-staff. If the state flag is lowered to half-staff, then the town flag is lowered to half-staff. The Governor's office sends the directive to lower U.S. and/or state flags to the Town Administrator's office, who then in turn forwards the message to representatives in charge of the flags at the various municipal and school facilities in Middletown,
DISPLAY OF TOWN FLAG AT HALF-STAFF IN HONOR OF DECEASED PERSON
The Town Council President may direct that the Town of Middletown flag be flown at half-staff upon the death of a current or former Middletown resident who has served on the Middletown Town Council or the Middletown School Committee; or upon the death of a resident as otherwise directed by the Town Council President. When death of the public official or resident to be so honored is verified, the flag shall be flown at half-staff immediately. The town flag shall remain at half-staff during each day it is normally flown until the end of the day on which the funeral is solemnized.
METHOD FOR PLACING FLAG AT HALF-STAFF
The flag shall be raised to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position midway between the top and the bottom of the staff. The flag should be again raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day. The flag must never touch the ground when being raised or lowered. The flag should be raised briskly and lowered slowly and ceremoniously. At no time shall any other flag be above the United States Flag. When the United States Flag is lowered to half-mast position, other flags should similarly be lowered.
STANDARD DAYS FOR LOWERING THE U.S. FLAG
Federal guidelines state the flag should be flown at half-staff at the following dates/times:
• May 15 - Peace Officers Memorial Day, unless it is the third Saturday in May, Armed Forces Day, full-staff all day
• Last Monday in May - Memorial Day (until noon)
• July 27 - Korean War Veterans Day (expired 2003 - reinstated 2009)
• September 11 - Patriot Day
• First Sunday in October - Start of Fire Prevention Week
• December 7 - National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
Notes
| 1 | The United States Code Title 4 gives direction on how the flag is to be displayed. Regarding displaying the flag at half-staff, it states, "By order of the President, the flag shall be flown at half-staff upon the death of principal figures of the United States Government and the Governor of a state, territory, or possession, as a mark of respect to their memory. In the event of the death of other officials or foreign dignitaries, the flag is to be displayed at half-staff according to Presidential Instructions or orders, or in accordance with recognized customs or practices not inconsistent with law. In the event of the death or a present or former official of the government of any state, territory, or possession of the United States or the death of a member of the Armed Forces from any State, territory, or possession of the United States, the Governor of that State, territory, or possession may proclaim that the National flag shall be flown at half-staff. When the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, or the Mayor of the District of Columbia, issues a proclamation under the preceding sentence that the National flag be flown at half-staff in that State, territory, or possession or in the District of Columbia because of the death of a member of the Armed Forces, the National flag flown at any Federal Installation or facility in the area covered by that proclamation shall be flown at half-staff consistent with that proclamation.” |