GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla. — Record-breaking crowds are climbing onboard the rides at the Clay County Fair this year, and officials are taking extra steps to make sure the estimated 115,000 people who attend are safe.
Action News was there as Caitlyn Sheehan's kids boarded one of those rides Monday.
"I've always wondered about safety. Listening to the rides, they creak a lot, and sometimes you're kind of skeptical about them," she said.
But fair General Manager Pete Sutton said parents like Sheehan shouldn't worry.
"If there is even a small issue, if it's even close, we would not operate that ride," he said.
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Sutton said the fair added four rides this year to accommodate the growing crowd, and they have gone the extra mile to make sure all 43 rides are safe.
Action News was there when the state inspected them before the gates opened last week. On Monday, we got our hands on those reports, and found 15 passed with no problems, but 28 rides needed work.
"We're constantly walking around looking for problems," said Andy Deggeller, general manager for Deggeller Attractions, who was on hand Monday night as the fair entered its fifth of 10 nights.
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Deggeler oversees these rides and said some of the issues found in those reports were noted while the rides were still being assembled.
He said every issue was immediately corrected, and re-inspected by the state before the gates opened. He also said the work didn't stop there.
"Each ride has a daily safety inspection sheet and every day before someone rides the rides, they're doing their safety checks," Deggeler said.
They are steps that helped Sheehan feel more confident.
"I didn't know they took those steps. You just hear all the horror stories, but actually knowing that it's good. It's really good," she said.
Sutton said there are also 1,000 volunteers assigned to specific areas of the fair, so someone is always close if assistance is needed. He said his team will take whatever steps needed to maintains the family atmosphere of the Clay County Fair.
"Our goal is to be safe, family fun, and if it's not family fun, then we failed," Sutton said.
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