ONE. >> FROM THE LOCAL STATION NEWSFOURJAX. IN JUST 2 DAYS.
THE CLAY COUNTY FAIR OPENS.
AND TODAY WE LEARNED
ORGANIZERS ARE LOOKING AT THE
RECENT TRAGEDY ORLANDO WHERE A
TEAM FELL TO HIS DEATH FROM A
RIDE.
>> AS A REASON TO TAKE EXTRA
PRECAUTIONS TODAY. WE ALSO
LEARN WHAT LED TO THAT TEAM
FALLING FROM THE ORLANDO
FREEFALL IN ICON PARK WILL BE
FOR SENATE TO YOU IN A PUSH
ALERT TO THE NEWS. 4 JAX APP
THIS MORNING.
>> NOW, ACCORDING TO REPORTS,
14 YEAR-OLD TYREE SAMPSON
SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN ON THE
RIGHT IN THE FIRST PLACE,
ACCORDING TO THE RIDE’S
MANUFACTURER, THE MAXIMUM
WEIGHT ALLOWANCE FOR THE RIDE
IS LISTED AT 286 POUNDS. AND
SAMPSON’S COACH SAID THE TEEN
WEIGHT 320.
>> WITH THAT TRAGEDY, FRESH ON
EVERYONE’S MINDS. NEWS 4 JAX
REPORTER JOE MCLEAN IS LIVE AT
COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS TONIGHT AT
JOE INSPECTIONS OF ALL THE
RIDES THERE AGAIN TODAY.
>> YES, AND WITH THAT HORRIBLE
TRAGEDY IN ORLANDO, EVEN MORE
OF AN EMPHASIS WAS PLACED ON
THESE RIDES, HOW THEY’RE
INSPECTED AND HOW THEY’RE
OPERATING. THAT INSPECTION
PROCESS GOT UNDERWAY TODAY.
THESE TYPES OF RIDES MOVE FROM
PLACE TO PLACE TO PLACE. AND
EVERY TIME THEY MOVED THEIR
INSPECTED AGAIN AND SAFETY WAS
TODAY. THE MESSAGE OF THE DAY.
>> OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS
TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE. IT’S
OUR TOP PRIORITY. KEEPING THE
PUBLIC SAFE, AS WELL AS OUR
EMPLOYEES. IT IS THE MOST IS
PARAMOUNT TO EVERYTHING ELSE.
THAT WAS THE MESSAGE FROM CLAY
COUNTY SHERIFF MICHELLE COOK
AND ORGANIZERS OF THE CLAY
COUNTY AGRICULTURAL FAIR.
>> THE DEATH OF AN ORLANDO
TEAM PLACED AN EXTRA EMPHASIS
ON KEEPING RIDERS SAFE. THIS
FOOTAGE FROM SKY 4 SHOWS HOW
MUCH OF THE FAIRGROUNDS HAS
ALREADY BEEN PREPPED FOR
VISITORS TO ARRIVE ON THURSDAY
AS PREPARATIONS WERE UNDERWAY
TUESDAY, I SPOKE WITH ANDY
DEGLER, THE OWNER OF DEGLER
ATTRACTIONS. THE COMPANY
PROVIDING RIDES IN MIDWAY
GAMES FOR THE EVENT.
>> WHEN PEOPLE COME HERE TO
THE FAIR, HOW CAN THEY BE
ASSURED THAT THE RIDES ARE
SAFE?
>> WELL, I THINK THERE’S LOTS
OF THINGS THAT THAT THAT THAT
CAN HELP PEOPLE FEEL MORE, YOU
KNOW, MORE SAFE AS THEY THEY
GET AROUND THE MIDWAY NUMBER
ONE WERE INSPECTED EVERY EVERY
TIME WE SET UP AT A NEW
LOCATION. THE STATE AND SPECS
US AND THOSE INSPECTIONS ARE
RIGOROUS CHECKING EVERYTHING
FROM ELECTRONICS TO MECHANICS.
>> TO EVEN A POLL STREET AND
PAINT ONCE THE RIDE IS SEEN
OPERATING IN THE INSPECTORS
SEASON OPERATE AS IT SHOULD.
>> THEN THEY PUT A CERTIFICATE
STICKER ON IT, SAYING THAT
IT’S PASSED A STATE
INSPECTION. MOST OF THESE
RIDES DON’T HAVE THAT STICKER
YET, BUT IT WILL LOOK
SOMETHING LIKE THIS ONE LEFT
OVER FROM WHEN THE RIDE WAS
INSPECTED AT THE PUTNAM COUNTY
FAIR LAST WEEK.
>> DEGLER SAID HE PUTS HIS
CREW THROUGH THE SAME TRAINING
THAT STATE INSPECTORS UNDERGO.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERY DAY
THAT WE’RE OPEN, IT’S GOING TO
BE AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE. SO IT
ONLY MAKES SENSE THAT THE
OPERATORS RUNNING THE RIDES
AND THE SUPERVISORS WALKING
AROUND, KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR
AND KNOW HOW HOW TO IDENTIFY
PROBLEMS.
>> AND A COUPLE THINGS TO
REMEMBER IF YOU PLAN ON COMING
OUT TO THE FAIRGROUNDS HERE
BETWEEN MARCH 31ST. THAT’S
THIS THURSDAY AND APRIL 10TH.
NOW THE SHERIFF TODAY WARNED
TO PLAN AHEAD FOR TRAFFIC. IF
YOU’VE BEEN TO THIS FAIR
BEFORE, YOU KNOW, THAT’S
ALWAYS AN ISSUE WITH THE 2
LANE ROAD LEADING OUT HERE.
ALSO PARKING, THEY SAY, TO BE
PATIENT AS THEY WERE EXPECTING
THOUSANDS OF VISITORS OVER THE
11 DAYS. THE SHERIFF ALSO SAID
ASK ASK VISITORS TO PAY CLOSE
ATTENTION TO ALL THE SIGNS
THEY HAVE POSTED. HE’D THE
DEPUTIES AND THE STAFF HERE AS
WELL. ALSO, SHE ADVISED TAKING
OFF A DAY OF PHOTO OF ANYBODY
IN YOUR PARTY WHOSE WHOSE MAY
BE VULNERABLE. THE ELDERLY
CHILDREN. THEY SAY THIS IS
HELPFUL FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT IN
THE UNLIKELY THE UNLIKELY
EVENT THAT THOSE PEOPLE GO
HAVE A RECENT PHOTO TO HELP
LAW ENFORCEMENT FIND THEM THAT
MUCH FASTER REPORTING LIVE IN
CHANNEL 4, THE LOCAL STATION.
>> THANK YOU, JOE. NEWSFOURJAX
INSIDERS ARE GETTING A CHANCE
TO ENJOY THE FAIR FOR FREE.
WE’RE GIVING AWAY 5 SETS A
FAMILY FOUR-PACK TICKETS
DURING THE 8 O’CLOCK HOUR OF
THE MORNING SHOW ON THURSDAY.
YOU CAN ENTER BY CLICKING THE
CLAY COUNTY FAIR TICKET STORY
ON YOUR INSIDER PROFILE PAGE
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