Raft flips over at Riviera Beach's Rapids Water Park

[verticalzero]

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2008/07/24/0724waterpark.html?imw=Y

 

 

The state's water park regulator said Thursday it appears a family was injured on a new slide at Rapids Water Park because their combined weight was between 850 and 900 pounds - much heavier than the posted limit for a single raft.

 

"There were warning signs at the slide. There's a maximum 700 pounds for riders," said Terence McElroy, spokesman for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

 

Problems at water parks

 

Wednesday's accident marked the 22nd time state inspectors have been called to the Rapids Water Park to investigate accidents since it opened in 1999.

 

Of the 22 accidents reported, 16 were determined to have been caused by patron error. In another four, the cause was undetermined, and two are pending.

 

The park has received one warning, in 2002, for failing to report an accident.

 

In 2006-2007, there were 59 water slide accidents statewide.

 

Of 206 total accidents at both permanent parks such as Rapids Water Park and traveling carnivals, 186 were found to have been caused by patron error.

 

However, a lawyer for the injured family has declined to rule out the possibility that a suit might be filed on behalf of John D. Lenahan and his three children.

 

Ride inspectors arrived at Rapids Water Park in Riviera Beach on Wednesday afternoon after fire-rescue was called to treat Lenahan and the children, who were injured when their raft flipped over on the new Black Thunder attraction, McElroy said.

 

Inspectors found nothing mechanically wrong with the ride, he said, but the investigation continues. Park officials said that since the ride was deemed safe, it was reopened Thursday.

 

McElroy said many theme park accidents result from people not following the rules. "It appears at first blush it was an issue of patron error," he said.

 

The four family members were taken to Columbia Hospital.

 

John D. Lenahan, 41, bit his tongue and was knocked unconscious. He was listed in stable condition Thursday night. His son John Lenahan, 15, was also knocked out and treated for a chin laceration.

 

The two younger children - Ronald, 14, and Julianna, 11 - were transferred to St. Mary's Medical Center and released several hours later. They suffered cuts, bumps and bruises.

 

Records show the family has homes in both Port St. Lucie and New Hyde Park, N.Y.

 

A woman who answered the Lenahans' phone Thursday afternoon referred questions to the family's lawyer, Marc Gottlieb of New York, who said the family had been at the water park celebrating the father's recent recovery from brain cancer.

 

"He's currently in the cardiac unit because he's having some difficulty breathing," Gottlieb said. "We don't know if he has any cracked ribs. There might have been some blood leaking in his brain, but that's just speculation."

 

No decision will be made on whether the Lenahans would sue the Rapids Water Park until an investigation is complete, he said.

 

"We've spoken to certain people that have indicated that lifeguards or whoever was running the ride may not have been discharging their responsibilities adequately by just letting anybody on without regard to the weight limitations," Gottlieb said.

 

"If people get on a ride and the ride goes awry, you generally tend to think something went amiss that was outside the control or responsibility of the people riding the ride," he said. "Obviously, something went terribly wrong."

 

Park spokeswoman Tina Hatcher said the park is doing a thorough investigation, interviewing employees as well as guests. Lifeguards who were working the ride Wednesday have not been disciplined or taken off the ride, Hatcher said.

 

"Every park, Disney, all parks, have rules and regulations that are next to the attractions," she said. "Have they asked, 'Are you pregnant? Do you have medical conditions? Do you have a heart problem?' No. It is a rider's responsibility."

 

She said lifeguards sometimes ask people if they meet the requirements to go on the ride, but riders may get offended or deny their weight. Thursday, lifeguards were being more "forthright" in asking people if they meet weight requirements, she added.

 

Rapids also released photos of signs warning visitors of the ride's dangers.

 

The park received a permit to open Black Thunder last July. The slide, which the park's Web site touts as "a fast ride in the pitch black darkness," is unique in the state because it involves riding a raft in a closed bowl. Wednesday's accident was the first on this type of slide in the state.

There for a reason

[jamesdillaman]

Great, as if Americans weren't seen as fat enough... Now they can't even ride waterslides anymore...

[Tmcdllr]

So it sounds like they either did not read the warning signs or ignored them and because of that they got hurt and are threatening to sue. THIS IS REDICULOUS! Why can't people just read the signs and follow them, they are there to prevent stuff like this from happening. But then again there is no way to protect (these) people from their own stupidity.

[SharkTums]

The problem is, this is a tough call. The lifeguard was in a really tough spot. If he thought that the raft was 'overweight' he should have said something and made them split up. But then the family would have sued for 'fat discrimination' or something stupid like that!

[Carnage]

Wait, so there was only four of them in the raft, and their combined weight was 900 pounds?

 

That's an average of 225 pounds per person.

[Tmcdllr]

OMG what is the PC term for 'fat discrimination?'

 

Fat discrimination...LOL!!!

 

But 4 people = 900 pounds? That's just plain wrong.

 

And what could you say... "Excuse me, but you cannot all ride together because you are all way too fat, would you please split up and take a fat seat on the next fat raft? A fat thanks to you all."

[ginzo]

They're doing it wrong.

[TheRapidsNerd]

As Hellboy would say: Aww Crap!

 

*sigh* Here we go again...

[mcjaco]

This does not bode well for It's a Small World.

[doom1001]

I rode this slide last year when it opened,probably the second week the slide was opened,before you climbed the stairs there was an attendant with a weight scale asking people to get on the scale to check their weight.Then I went like 3 weeks later and no attendant and no scale.

[John Peck]

The most PC way to do something like this is to just limit it to 2 adults per tube at all times, no exceptions.

 

Holiday World had to start doing that on their Zoombawe enclosed slide. I rode that with myself and 3 other decent sized people... our tube folded in on itself... we didn't fall out or anything, but could have. It was scary.. but a lot of fun, too!

[PeoplemoverMatt]

Is this slide one of those big family-style raft rides that can have a whole bunch of people riding? A 700lb weight limit translates to about 3 average-sized adults. I can't say I'm familiar with a type of water slide whose rafts would hold, on average, 3 people.

[TPDave]

But then the family would have sued for 'fat discrimination' or something stupid like that!

 

We have rights too!!

[Moose]

I am shocked that there is not a bigger factor of safety on the weight limit. IE the ride's weight limit is really 1000lbs, but the posted sign says 700 so that even if people overload it per the sign, it is less likely that they will go over what the ride can handle.

 

Jon *I was over the weight limit at just about everything at Sclossbeck* Az

[jamesdillaman]

UPDATE: I just heard on the radio this morning that the family was back in the waterpark, and has dammed up the lazy river. Authorites are on the way to help stranded innertube riders.

 

-James Dillaman

[Carnage]

I am shocked that there is not a bigger factor of safety on the weight limit. IE the ride's weight limit is really 1000lbs, but the posted sign says 700 so that even if people overload it per the sign, it is less likely that they will go over what the ride can handle.

 

I'd imagine weight limits on water park rides must be hard to estimate.

 

There's just so many unknowns that can't be predicted. Like how the weight is distrubuted, how the riders move, etc. A static weight limit probably isn't enough.

 

Water park rides are just so unpredictable compared to thrill rides.

[natatomic]

What's wrong with having a scale to weigh riders before they ride? Dollywood has been doing it for as long as I can remember on Slidewinder.

[ginzo]

Jon *I was over the weight limit at just about everything at Sclossbeck* Az

 

Yeah, but those rides all passed "the Robb test".

[Brandy524]

So the kids are 15, 14 and 11? And them plus the dad was over 900 lbs.? Something is wrong with this picture.

[thecoasterkid]

What's wrong with having a scale to weigh riders before they ride? Dollywood has been doing it for as long as I can remember on Slidewinder.

 

Exactly. If someone is really that worried about other people thinking they're overweight and knowing how fat their ass is they shouldn't be in a water park to begin with. I'm not saying if you're fat you shouldn't be in a water park, just that you can't hide it in a bathing suit anyways.

 

Also, 1 adult plus 3 kids (All aged 15 or younger) equal up to 900lb? I'd imagine the photographer would have to bust out his wide angle lens to take that family photo.

[jamesdillaman]

^ I think we are being unkind to the Hutt family. Mrs. the Hutt was very upset when their trusted bounty hunter friend Boba broke the news to her.

 

-James Dillaman

[coaster_dude2002]

If someone is really that worried about other people thinking they're overweight and knowing how fat their a$$ is they shouldn't be in a water park to begin with. I'm not saying if you're fat you shouldn't be in a water park, just that you can't hide it in a bathing suit anyways.

I must have some amazing bathing suit then.

 

 

This certainly is a tough situation. If the family does decide to sue I'm not sure how it would go. It is both the families responsibility to check their own weight, as well as the lifeguard's to enforce the rule. It would be tough for the lifeguard to tell if the family was over the weight limit since it wasn't too much more than the 700 pounds posted. I agree with all the comments on having scales to weigh the riders if their safety is in question.

[dammie16@vt.edu]

Hmm... sounds like the park could be at faullt for allowing them on, unless there is proof the family was doing something that could lead to flipping over. (Grabbing raft walls to get higher or something)

 

Edit: Just saw Slidewinder was mentioned and this is true, they should have a scale for safety. Heck my group was too light and had to beg for another rider.

[Brandy524]

Also, 1 adult plus 3 kids (All aged 15 or younger) equal up to 900lb? I'd imagine the photographer would have to bust out his wide angle lens to take that family photo.

 

Ha...I was thinking along the same lines but didn't want to be that blunt about it.

[FlyingScooter]

Perhaps this is the reason that Dollywoods Rubber raft ride thing makes people walk on a scale....