Northbrook Days Carnival Workers Think Safety

Dozens of workers are on the job at Northbrook's Village Green assembling rides for this year's Northbrook Days Festival which begins Wednesday. The backs of their t-shirts are emblazoned with the words "Think Safety," a critical message after the incident at the Ohio State Fair last week when the Fireball ride failed sending passengers flying. A teenager was killed and several others were injured.

Northbrook's Civic Foundation, which runs Northbrook Days, is reassuring residents that the carnival company involved with the accident in Ohio, Amusements of America, is not the same company that provides the rides for Northbrook Days.

North American Midway Entertainment has operated rides for Northbrook Days for more than 25 years and has never had a violation.

"They take every precaution with inspections and personnel," said Matt Settler, Festival Chairman.

Settler said he was on the phone with North American Midway Entertainment immediately after the accident in Ohio. He stated that no rides resembling the Fireball will be at Northbrook Days.

KMG, the manufacturer of Fireball, has ordered that ride and others similar to it to cease operations. KMG's ride Freak Out was the company's only ride scheduled to run at Northbrook Days, but state officials have declined to approve that ride in Illinois, so it will not be in service at Northbrook Days.

All rides are inspected by the carnival staff during assembly. In addition, the Northbrook Fire Department and the Illinois Department of Labor inspect the rides before the festival opens.

"We do a thorough job to make sure the rides are safe," said Northbrook Fire Chief Jose Torres. His staff as well as qualified electricians evaluate the rides before opening day and throughout the week.

Some parents visiting the park with their children on Monday afternoon were enjoying watching the carnival staff assemble the rides. Several stated they felt more safe on rides at bigger amusement parks, like Six Flags' Great America.

Weston Sparks, Unit Manager and Safety Coordinator for North American Midway Entertainment argued otherwise explaining that rides which travel to various locations are constantly inspected piece-by-piece as they are assembled and disassembled. "We tear 'em down to small bits and pieces," Sparks stated as his crew worked steps away putting together each part of the rides.

Weston is a certified inspector with the National Association of Amusement Ride Safety Officials. He is among five certified ride inspectors working for North American Midway Entertainment. He boasted that his inspectors are "the best," but recognized that there are no guarantees. "We do preventative maintenance, but you can't predict when something will go wrong."

He also shared the emotional toll the incident in Ohio has taken on him explaining he had nightmares right after the accident. "We are here for the kids, it hits home," he said.

Joann Schaudt, a long-time Northbrook resident, noted that there has never been an incident in Northbrook Days history and recognized risks unrelated to the rides. "I'm more concerned about some idiot coming in and shooting everybody," she said.

Gemma Samuels, a Northfield mother of three boys said she was a bit more weary of the rides in the wake of the Ohio accident, but she felt it was worth it. "You always take a certain risk when you put your child on those rides. There's never 100% certainty," she said, adding, "Embrace life, run with risk, and find the joy."