Jump to content
  TPR Home | Parks | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram 

Kentucky Kingdom (SFKK, KK) Discussion Thread


Recommended Posts

I have observed many times over the years, ride ops "do their thing" (check restraints, close gates, etc) and then push the button and go on about their business (which can include talking horsing around with coworkers). In many cases they are not watching the actual operation of the ride. The question I have is this... shouldn't that be a requirement?

 

It most definitely is a requirement, especially on drop towers. You're supposed to watch the entire cycle from the second it leaves the ground, until coming back down to unload.

 

First, a cable shouldn't go 6 months or a couple years without being replaced, inspected, etc. You'd think a good ride mechanic would know that. You'd also think a ride op should know as soon as she see a cable snap, to hit the e-stop. Like someone else on here stated, it doesn't take a genius when you're an op for more than a month to know what's normal and whats not, especially on drop towers.

 

I know some of the newest ops in certain parks work drop towers because they're pretty much faulty proof rides and they're the easiest to run. Maybe that played a factor in this girls reaction time as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What would you have done?

I would have done what every employee should know very well to do: e-stop the ride. At Adventureland, we have emergency procedures in three places: the phone box, the control panel, and the rides manual, and Adventureland could be doing a heck of a lot more with employee safety training, so I consider that a basic requirement. It's very clear in all three of these places that the first thing you do, always, is STOP THE RIDE. There is no excuse whatsoever for failing to use the emergency stop function during an accident if you time, and ten seconds is ample time.

So I think there were two possibilities here: either the employee did not know where the e-stop button was or the employee was not properly trained. Obviously, improper training is sort of unacceptable at an amusement park and especially on a ride of this size, and the e-stop button is supremely easy to locate, given that it's enormous and red (and may even be labeled "E-Stop" or "Emergency Stop"). I think it's probably more likely that the employee's training was bad, and that is a direct reflection of the quality of the park's operations.

No matter how you spin it, the park screwed up big time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What I find interesting is that they expected the ride ops to press the button in 10 seconds. I find it even more ironic that they expected the operator to distinguish the sound from the cable snap, to the regular click before the car is released. I found it even more ludicrous that they should also have known from the screaming that something is wrong, even though almost every ride on a drop tower is filled with screams... And also they use the word probably, so how would they have known that the girl only would've suffered from scrapes and cuts if the e-stop button was pushed.

 

Except that one of the ride operators was on the phone with the park's emergency line trying to convince them that there was a problem during those 10 seconds. Instead of picking up the phone and trying to convince the operator that there was an emergency, she should've pressed the big red button next to the phone.

 

From the report:

Statement of Main Ride Operator to the KDA 12 [synopsis – not verbatim]

  • The group of three girls rode the ride once without incident. When that ride cycle had ended, the girls got to ride again because there was no line. I remember the same three seats were used the second trip. The seats were checked and the all clear was given. The ride went up.
  • After about two seconds I heard a noise like a rollercoaster chain clack. The ride was about eight feet off the ground. When I looked up the cord came out; the cord was flying about. The noise and the cable coming out happened at the same time.
  • I called #3333; the park phone number for emergencies. The person answering the phone asked what was going on.
  • I reached my head out and around the operator station while I was explaining the situation to the lady on the phone. I told the lady on the phone that the guests were screaming. I was not sure what the people on the ride were screaming due to the volume of noise in the park.
  • The lady on the phone said it was normal for riders to scream. I said the screaming was totally different this time because all the riders were screaming.
  • I can’t remember what the lady on the telephone was saying. I could see the top of the ride. The other ride operator, at the other panel, told me to hit Estop.
  • I hit Estop, but the ride came down normally.

...

 

The button should've been pushed as SOON as she heard the noise and saw the cable. Better safe than sorry. Frankly, if I ran the park, if the operator on any non-coaster ride picks up the phone during a ride cycle, the ride should E-Stop automatically.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I didn't want to start a whole new thread on this since this deals a little with this thread already. Here is a video that Yahoo Video has playing from ABC news. It talks about how the parks and designers are trying to push the envelope on coasters, and how lawmakers are trying to push on safety. It has some footage of Kaitlyn Lasitter and some really good video shots of coasters!!

 

 

cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/index.php?cl=8090817

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's so clear to me that this girl honestly doesn't understand how safe amuesement rides are. She has assumed that her accident reflects all rides. And the really sick thing about it is that the media will listen to her, because she's the victim, but not the parks, because they're the big, evil, company that's trying to destroy everything good and happy in the world. Has anyone ever seen a report about ride safety in which the quote from the park or park company was anything other than "safety is our number one concern"? Because I really don't think I have.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Has anyone ever seen a report about ride safety in which the quote from the park or park company was anything other than "safety is our number one concern"? Because I really don't think I have.

 

What else would you expect them to say? Maybe something like... "We do everything we can within the constraints of our budget and leave the rest up to God."? Because that's pretty much the truth, but you're never going to hear anyone from a park say it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Uh, maybe that roller coasters are statistically safer than every major form of transportation, or that fewer people die every year at amusement parks than in the shower in the moring. I don't know. Something that actually illustrates how safe amusement parks are. It's good that they say that safety is the number one concern, but those are just words, not evidence.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

your right they haven't. i live in louisville and the maitenence crew said themselves that six flags doesn't require through matenince of the rides but does require basic stuff. and they also said the inspectors from the state who inspects the rides each year said they had an outdated handbook and the new one had a series of tests to check the cables strenght. but i love how they replaced the ride. its all filled in with dirt and trees.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The button should've been pushed as SOON as she heard the noise and saw the cable. Better safe than sorry. Frankly, if I ran the park, if the operator on any non-coaster ride picks up the phone during a ride cycle, the ride should E-Stop automatically.

 

Funny thing about this statement is how many parks seriously discourage the employee's to ever hit e-stop. As a former ride-op, I remember hearing that if you hit e-stop when it is not necessary, you can be moved to another ride, written up, fired, ect. One moment of second guessing can make all the difference.

 

I am not surprised that her first instinct was to NOT hit e-stop.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's so clear to me that this girl honestly doesn't understand how safe amuesement rides are. She has assumed that her accident reflects all rides. And the really sick thing about it is that the media will listen to her, because she's the victim, but not the parks

 

Okay, I'm going to assume that you are young and don't really know what you are talking about.

 

If you are involved in a traumatic experience meaning, a life threatening situation that occurred very quickly, happened to you and you were completely helpless to do anything about it...I would assume that you would not be so nonchalant about that environment.

 

People that are involved in animal attacks, 9-11, etc usually change after that type of situation and have a very hard time coping with what happened to them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

First of all, I know what a traumatic experience is, you don't have to define it for me.

I will never say that she isn't allowed to be upset at SFKK or even SF in general. I am not very happy with them either. What I said is that she does not understand that SFKK's policies do not reflect those of other amusement parks and that this industry in general is one of the safest in the world.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...

It looks like Six Flags settled the lawsuit out of court.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hskCMyWbyAnGJjvnsHzUxOC6UwqQD94JHQL00

 

US teen who lost feet on ride settles lawsuit

 

4 days ago

 

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (AP) — A U.S. amusement park has reached a settlement with the family of a Louisville teen whose feet were severed after an accident on a ride last year.

 

Kaitlyn Lasitter was 13 when a cable broke as she was riding on the Superman Tower of Power at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom in June 2007. Doctors reattached her right foot, but were unable to save her left one.

 

Kentucky Kingdom spokeswoman Carolyn McLean said Friday the settlement will provide lifetime care for Kaitlyn, but terms are confidential.

 

Calls to Kaitlyn's father and the family's attorney were not immediately returned.

 

A state report blamed a faulty cable and a ride operator's slow response, but officials say there's no way of knowing why the cable snapped. The ride has been dismantled.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is by far the best thing for Six Flags. In another article on the subject, it was written that the family knew that the process was going to be long and drawn out with multiple appeals, so this was the best conclusion for them. I'm glad to see that the family is satisfied, but this is still such a tragic and unfortunate story!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Sorry I had to dig up this topic.

 

I sent a message concerning Twisted Twins coming back this summer and This is what they sent me.

 

Ken,

 

Thank you for your comment and interest in Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom. Unfortunately Twisted Twins is not part of our 2009 plans at this time. We are still looking at the area for possible expansion in upcoming years. If you have any further questions please feel free to contact me at pshortridge@sftp.com. Have a wonderful Holiday Season. We look forward to hosting you during our 2009 season, opening day is set for April 25th.

 

Have a great day!

 

I got that in about 12 hours from when I sent it and it is great they are being honest about it(something Cedar Fair is lacking). While I am disappointed since I will be in the area next year for Diamondback and all. I will still visit SFKK and again when the twisted twins do reopen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry I had to dig up this topic.

 

I sent a message concerning Twisted Twins coming back this summer and This is what they sent me.

 

Ken,

 

Thank you for your comment and interest in Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom. Unfortunately Twisted Twins is not part of our 2009 plans at this time. We are still looking at the area for possible expansion in upcoming years. If you have any further questions please feel free to contact me at pshortridge@sftp.com. Have a wonderful Holiday Season. We look forward to hosting you during our 2009 season, opening day is set for April 25th.

 

Have a great day!

 

I got that in about 12 hours from when I sent it and it is great they are being honest about it(something Cedar Fair is lacking). While I am disappointed since I will be in the area next year for Diamondback and all. I will still visit SFKK and again when the twisted twins do reopen.

 

Well, that saved me a trip there. I want to go, but want to wait until at least one side of Twisted Twins is running to justify a 6 hour drive each way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

WOW old thread. Just pointing out that I went to SFKK maybe two months before TPR and it was far and away the worst experience I've ever had at a park. The staff was slow and rude, the lines were slow, the park was dirty, and there was no shade anywhere except a corner of the back of the park. I'm sorry, but I would absolutely hesitate before setting foot in the park again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^He must have caught the park on a bad day, because it really isn't as bad as he described it...

 

Granted, the park isn't in as good of shape as it was in 2006/7, it's definitely not horrible by any means.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use https://themeparkreview.com/forum/topic/116-terms-of-service-please-read/