Before the rides flash and the lights spin at the Montana State Fair in Great Falls, a dedicated team works to ensure all attractions are safe and secure.
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The Mighty Thomas Carnival has been installing rides at the Montana State Fair for more than 25 years. Safety is their number one priority, with multiple inspection processes in place.
"There's a lot of lights out here, so we got to make sure our electric records are plugged in, installed properly. There's not any bare wires. Something that's going to electrocute somebody," said Chris Atkins, general manager of "The Mighty Thomas Carnival."
"The Mighty Thomas Carnival” operates as a full-service provider for the fair.
"We bring everything we need with us. We provide our own power. We bring all the rides. (They) are all transportable. We set them up; we tear them down. We staff them, we operate them. We take care of everything. We're full service," Atkins said.
A team of 100 full-time employees currently works at the Montana State Fair, continuously monitoring ride safety.
"Many of our team have been to national amusement ride safety seminars. I, myself have been certified in several different states as being a ride inspector," Atkins said.
Third-party inspectors also verify the safety of all attractions.
"We have third party insurance type inspections that come out. We had a gentleman out for the four days that we were setting up here in Great Falls, walking around looking at stuff, watching our operation, making sure everything's good to go," Atkins said.
Along with their initial ride inspection during setup, the team conducts daily checks of every ride before the fair opens.
"When we start inspecting a ride, we start at the base. We're looking for blocking and make sure everything's tight. You know, nothing's going anywhere because you have to have a solid foundation when you're operating any ride, especially mobile rides," Atkins said.
Operational inspections continue throughout the day to ensure everything runs smoothly. Atkins noted that the transportable nature of the rides actually provides a safety advantage.
"We have to set up and tear down these rides every week. We take that track apart every week and you can look for cracks and you can see those little things," Atkins said.
While the rides are designed to be safe, Atkins emphasized that following their rules is essential. Safety is a shared responsibility between operators and riders.
"We want everybody that comes to Carnival to have a safe, fun, positive experience," Atkins said.
So the next time you hear the click of the seatbelt or the hum of the motor at the fair, you can ride easy knowing someone has given it the all clear.
