Michigan carnival operators reassure ride safety

CLARE COUNTY, Mi. (WPBN/WGTU) — A day after one person was killed and seven were injured during a ride malfunction in Ohio, many people have expressed their hesitation about the rides at their local fairs.

A Michigan carnival ride company wants fair-goers to rest assured that they’re working every day to protect people on the rides.

The Skerbeck Family Carnival is a family run business based out of Michigan. The company has provided the rides, games and many of the food booths for the Clare County Fair this week.

“[Double checking] is very crucial,” ride supervisor and inspector, Tina Bosner said. "I check each vehicle, the blocking, the connectors, seatbelt, everything that is on this checklist.”

Bosner is working with seven other ride inspectors and nearly 100 other staff members with the Skerbeck Family Carnival company. She says inspectors are out checking each ride hours before the fair opens each day. They test each ride at least three times before allowing anyone on it.

“From tightening nuts and bolts to making sure all the sights and sound are all right, the blocking is in place the lighting is operating can directly electrical lines are properly fastened and there's nothing loose there,” said Bob Skerbeck, who owns Skerbeck Family Carnival.

"Every piece of equipment we get insured that's the first part," Skerbeck said. "Then the state comes out and inspect it bi-annual we inspect it daily and weekly before anyone even rides it's probably been looked at by about four different people from the state level down to our state and nationally trained operators."

Families who attended the fair say they came to the fair for family fun, but keep the risks in mind.

"When you bring your children to the fair you count on the rides and that they're going to be solid, so it's just on your mind but we still came and the kids are still doing the rides were still going to have a good time,” said John Lake, who lives in Clare County.

Larry Meyers, another local brought his wife and grandson to the fair.

"We just kind of watch what he rides but we're not concerned the safety record here seems to be pretty good,” Meyers said.

"The same people that oversee Disney [are who] we get governed by as well so we're following guidelines brought to us by those organizations and the manufacturers of the rides to make sure they're safe for everybody,” Skerbeck explained.

This week the company has 17 rides at the Clare County Fair. Next week the carnival business will be at the Coast Guard Festival in Grand Haven.

Clare County Fair continues until Saturday.

According to the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs on average, there are about a dozen incidences a year in the state involving rides.