Greater Gulf State Fair Ride Safety: Five Inspection Levels, Metal Detectors and a Clear Bag Rule

MOBILE, Ala. — Before the first rider climbs aboard a spinning, soaring or swooping attraction at this year’s Greater Gulf State Fair ride lineup, each machine has already been checked again and again. The fair opened Friday night, Oct. 30, at The Grounds in west Mobile, and its organizers and ride operator say safety, both on the midway and across the fairgrounds, is their top priority.

The 10-day event draws an average of 100,000 people each year, according to organizers. This year’s midway features 52 rides supplied and operated by North American Midway Entertainment, and the company says every one of them goes through five levels of inspection before anyone is allowed to ride.

Rides checked by 14 jurisdictions before reaching Mobile

“Safety is paramount to everything North American Midway does. You know, we take that very, very seriously,” said Scooter Korek, who is marking his 50th year with the company.

Korek said that by the time the rides arrive in Mobile, they have already been inspected by 14 different jurisdictions along the company’s touring route. Traveling carnival rides are set up, operated, taken down and moved from city to city and state to state throughout the fair season, and many states and local governments require their own inspections each time a ride is assembled within their borders.

Alabama is not among those 14 jurisdictions. Rather than sending state inspectors to the midway, Alabama law requires amusement ride owners to pay a professional engineer or inspector who is not employed by the owner to inspect their rides once a year. That independent review is meant to provide an outside check on the ride’s condition.

On top of the state and local inspections, North American Midway relies on its own staff. “And then we have our own safety team and inspectors and people who run these rides that are doing our daily ride inspections themselves,” Korek said.

How the layers of inspection work

Taken together, the system Korek described includes several kinds of review: inspections by the government jurisdictions the rides pass through, the independent annual inspection required under Alabama law, oversight by the company’s own safety team and inspectors, and daily checks by the employees who operate each ride.

Daily inspections are an important part of that process for a traveling midway. Rides that are routinely disassembled and reassembled must be checked each time they are set up, and operators who work the same ride day after day are often the first to notice when something looks, sounds or feels different. Those daily checks happen before the gates open to the public.

North American Midway Entertainment is one of the larger traveling midway companies in North America, providing rides and games to state, county and regional fairs across the United States and Canada. Its crews bring the rides, staff and equipment to the Greater Gulf State Fair each fall.

Safety beyond the midway

Greater Gulf State Fair Executive Director Josh Woods said keeping visitors safe goes well beyond the rides.

“That’s our job is to make sure that the Greater Gulf State Fair is the safest place for families to come,” Woods said.

Woods outlined several measures in place this year:

• Medical response: Mobile Fire-Rescue is on scene in case of a medical emergency.
• Security patrols: Off-duty officers patrol the fairgrounds.
• Clear bag policy: Bags brought into the fair must be clear.
• No firearms: Firearms are prohibited on the fairgrounds.
• Metal detectors: Every visitor passes through screening at the gate.

“We also have the latest technology when it comes to metal detectors. So everybody that comes through gets checked for metal and things like that, what they have on them,” Woods said.

Clear bag policies have become common at stadiums, arenas and large public events because they allow security staff to see what visitors are carrying and speed up entry lines. Fairgoers who plan to bring a purse, backpack or diaper bag should check the fair’s rules before leaving home so they are not turned away at the gate.

Tips for riders and families

Even with multiple layers of inspection, riders play a role in their own safety. General guidance from safety advocates and ride operators includes:

• Follow posted rules. Height, age and health restrictions are posted for a reason. Do not try to get a child onto a ride they do not meet the requirements for.
• Listen to operators. Ride attendants are trained on how each attraction works. Follow their instructions on seating, restraints and loading.
• Stay seated and keep hands and feet inside. Remain in the ride until it comes to a complete stop and an operator says it is time to exit.
• Secure loose items. Hats, phones, sunglasses and other loose belongings can fall or become hazards. Leave them with someone on the ground or store them as directed.
• Speak up. If a restraint does not feel secure, or something seems wrong, tell the operator before the ride starts.
• Make a family plan. Pick a meeting spot in case anyone gets separated in the crowd, and make sure children know to look for a uniformed officer or fair staff member if they need help.

A fall tradition at The Grounds

The Greater Gulf State Fair is held each fall at The Grounds, 1035 Cody Road North in Mobile. Along with the midway, the fair features food vendors, entertainment, exhibits and special events. This year’s schedule includes the second annual Strongman Showdown at The Grounds on Saturday, Oct. 31, an amateur strength competition hosted by Mobile strongman champions Tyler and Megan Davis.

Because the fair runs for 10 days, families have several chances to visit, including two weekends. Weeknight visits tend to be less crowded, which can mean shorter lines at both the ticket booths and the rides.

Planning your visit

Before heading out, fairgoers should check the Greater Gulf State Fair’s official channels for daily hours, admission and ride ticket prices, and any special promotions. Leaving prohibited items at home, carrying a clear bag and arriving with time to spare for security screening will help the trip go smoothly.

For the people who run the fair and its midway, the goal is the same every year: that families leave with good memories and come back again next fall.