OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – For some, the rides may be the best part of the Oklahoma State Fair.
“I would say the rides are 70 to 80 percent of the reason people come,” says Allen McElyea, chief inspector of rides for the Oklahoma Department of Labor.
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According to McElyea, the inspectors have been working hard since Saturday. By Wednesday, almost all of the approximately 70 rides had been checked.
“It’s been a great year. Everything’s been going smoothly,” McElyea said. “Our goal is to put it all behind us tonight.”
Ensuring everything is safe is a responsibility that McElyea takes very seriously.
“I have four grandchildren, so when I look at an attraction, I ask myself, ‘Would I let my grandchildren ride here?'” McElyea said. “We don’t approve anything that we wouldn’t let our own children ride.”
Inspectors look at rides from top to bottom, checking things like seat belts, hardware and safety switches.
“We also climb underneath and check the entire scaffolding,” McElyea said.
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Frank Zaitshik of Wade Shows, which provides all the rides, said he was excited about the Kraken’s debut in Oklahoma.
“It’s the first of its kind in North America. It’s kind of like a fireball ride on steroids. It swings 150 feet in the air,” Zaitshik said.
KFOR decided to try out the new attraction and if you like heights and can stand spinning in circles, it is definitely worth waiting for.
“I can assure everyone that we are doing our best to make it as safe as possible,” Zaitshik said.
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