Houston Rodeo Shuts Down Carnival Rides, Sensible High Winds Precaution
Monday night, as winds in the Houston area became increasingly strong, the Houston Rodeo took the sensible step of shutting down the carnival rides and outdoor exhibits for safety reasons. First it closed down about 12 of the tallest rides, including three Ferris wheels and a roller coaster. Reportedly, the ride operators referred to ride manufacturers’ guidelines in making their safety determinations.
Then, as the high winds failed to diminish, the Houston Rodeo closed down all of the carnival rides and outdoor exhibits for safety reasons. (Source: Ryan Korsgard, KPRC click2houston.com, 2/25/13)
Our Carnival Ride Injury Attorneys Point Out a New Trend Towards Taking Serious Safety Precautions in the Face of High Winds
Outdoor event operators have not always been so cautious in the face of potential dangers from high winds. The new trend for comprehensive outdoor event closures and evacuations is one brought on by some recent and deadly structural collapses and accidents blamed on strong storm winds.
Some Recent Deadly Structural Collapses Have Been Blamed on Strong Winds
For instance, an outdoor beer garden tent collapsed in St. Louis last spring, killing one man and hospitalizing 17 more. And before that, the collapse of an outdoor concert stage at the Indiana State Fair in August 2011 killed 7 people and hospitalized dozens more with serious injuries. Our carnival ride injury attorneys note that these represent just two of several examples of deadly outdoor structural collapses in the past few years that have been linked to high winds.
What Precautions are Necessary During High Wind Warnings to Protect Your Safety?
The sequence of wind-related deadly outdoor structural collapses has led safety officials to examine possible ways to prevent these accidents. Safety advocates have called for better training of event personnel regarding procedures when storms or strong winds threaten. Calls for improvement have included suggestions regarding clearer chains of authority at events and better safety and evacuation planning.
Timely and mandatory evacuations when storm and wind advisories occur could help prevent injuries caused during a sudden, forced evacuation in the face of imminent disaster. Greatly increased safety standards and regulation regarding outdoor events has also been suggested.
But costly and draconian fixes to what is only an intermittent danger could make outdoor events impractical. And who wants that? The responsible decision to shut down the Houston Rodeo rides and outdoor exhibits in several stages when high winds threatened, beginning with the tallest, most threatened rides first, worked well on Monday night. A reasonable, adaptive approach to the individual circumstances of the event and threatening weather seems sensible.
Contact the Experienced Carnival Ride Injury Attorneys at Denena Points, PC if You’re Injured on a Ride due to High Winds or Other Causes
Our carnival ride injury attorneys always offer you a FREE and confidential initial legal consultation. And there’s no obligation to hire an attorney. Let our successful experience with high-profile carnival ride injury cases help answer your questions regarding your specific injury and your potential eligibility for financial compensation after a serious accident. Call us direct at 281-369-4363 or reach us by filling out our online contact form anytime.