Emergency Plan

[plainfielder13]

Does anyone know Six Flags Great America"s Emergency Plan. I always wondered what would happen if tornaic action was a threat to Great America, where would they put everyone?.

[!)EJAVU-FAN!]

ha. Everyone for themselves I'd say.

haha. actually, I don't know. Good question.

[FRD714]

I think we discussed this last year on this forum because there was a "close call" with the weather. I'm not really sure where everyone would go though. I don't think they have anywhere to put everyone.

[Galvan]

Which is a major issue, there have been scores of events over the last 50 years where Tornadoes/Severe Thunderstorms have made close calls with large public venues.

[FParker185]

Act of God, whoever dies, dies. I know they have storm/fallout shelters but nowhere near enough to hold everyone in the park, and at least one is not publically accessible anymore as far as I can tell that being the arcade in county fair where it looks like the Wii thing blocks that up.

Most places of business have no storm shelters, so it's really not uncommon, everyone involved just has to use common sense and hope for the best.

Last time I was at the park during a tornado in 1997, was in Eagles station while the tornado siren was blaring, ride ops were totally clueless and eventually they got on the phone and we were ushered under the station into ankle deep water and no more protected than inside the station, then once the storm was nearly over someone finally made it to the ride and told everyone we need to get to the games gallery as that was that areas storm shelter (only reason I know about it)

[CoasterDave316]

I was there a few years ago when the Tornado sirens went off when the weather was really bad, and I asked a employee what the emergency plans were. They had no clue, and they agreed with me that it was probably everybody for themselves.

When it got really bad out that day, they had people take shelter under whatever roof was nearby.

[zjohn1988]

From what I remember......Demon Tunnel, under Dare Devil Dive, under Loggers Run

[w00dland]

I'd go into the train tunnel by Demon, that thing isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

[zjohn1988]

except for wind gusts trying to suck you out..

[!)EJAVU-FAN!]

An amusement park without shelter isn't too family friendly if you ask me.

[guitarhero119]

i am gonna head underneath logger runs platform. if you ask me thats probably the best protected place in the park, however i dont know where i would go in the event of a tornado. kinda scary

[coastercrazy111]

I would continue marathons on Rajing Bull! Then when the tornado was off I would get off the ride.

[Viper 06]

The train tunnel is a place a lot of the employees in that area are told to go.

[[jonrev]]

The only safe possible places I can think of are:

Demon tunnel, Raging Bull tunnel, Train/Demon tunnel, pit under Sky Trek (I believe you need to try to get as low to the ground as possible in a tornado), Space Shuttle America waiting area (inside, before the actual simulator), any of the theaters may work, under the Dive platform, maybe the bunkers under the V2 and Superman stations, Roaring Rapids tunnel (after the ride is shut down), under Wilderness Theatre maybe, the V2 exit path under the station, and maybe under the bridges for CF/YT and YH/MG, CF Games.

[plainfielder13]

I know its bad. I don't want to be at Six Flags during a storm ext.

Workers: They never told you anything?

[DejaVuGurl1203]

I was there a few years ago when the Tornado sirens went off when the weather was really bad, and I asked a employee what the emergency plans were. They had no clue, and they agreed with me that it was probably everybody for themselves.

When it got really bad out that day, they had people take shelter under whatever roof was nearby.

Yep. That day was crazy. I recall wondering why the heck lines were so darn short in the morning. I remember I had to stay under the roof that separated Yukon and County Fair.

[SFGAmfreak4life]

My dad and sister were at the park a couple years ago when the sirens went off and they were put into GMH. Another day I was there with my sister and the sirens went off while we were in the parking lot. An employee from the stroller rentals told us to take shelter in there. Like that would have helped .

[Director_Guy]

During Fright Fest rehearsals there was a serious close call and we all had to hide out in the employee changing room.

[FParker185]

also figure in the event of a tornado there is just no way to move everyone in the park to a safe place in the 5-10 min or so of warning from when you know for sure it's heading for the park

[Nystagmus]

Former employee here, woo!

Alright, all ride employees are told where to take guests and other employees in the event of severe weather. There are a few places that the park does not allow anyone to be during a severe storm: on a station platform (because most are elevated) and in the ride's control room (due to the amount of electrical equipment in there).

Most rides have a designated area: Train tunnel, Demon tunnel, under Chubasco, under station platforms, etc.

When I worked in other departments, we were not given as extensive training on what to do in weather events. However, when I did work at the park in a non-rides department, in my section we put our employees into a locker room, guests into the theatres and food venues that were close by. We had to do this once when we had an actual tornado warning. The other leads/sups and I had our radios on but they quickly became useless during the storm.

Sadly, not every employee may not know their safe area to go to in the event of a severe storm. I think the worst thing to do is leave the park. Yes, you may not feel safe surrounded by large, metal structures known as roller coasters, but you are going to be LESS safe in a car or in a huge crowd running for the exit. Whatever you can get between yourself and flying debris is going to help more than nothing.

[chevyman34]

So in the event of foul weather, can we hide in the buildings? Like the Firehouse, pass processing (sure I know it has windows), GMH, etc. Are the buildings safe or are some of them like Hollywood sets..all show?

I was wondering this myself last weekend.

[RBull4life]

In the event of a tornado, putting guests into theaters doesn't sound to save to me. In there you run the risk of the entire building getting blown apart.

It's a frightning scenario to even think about. An F5 smacking straight on into a packed Great America would simply be devastating. The loss of life could be staggering. If a tornado hit AE alone, imagine all that wood that would be like missiles flying through the air.
Maybe our weather experts could chime in here, when was the last time an F5 hit in the area? Was the Plainfield one an F5?

[FParker185]

I know Plainfield was F5, dont think there have been any others in this area in the recent past. F5's are fairly rare with 1 per year on average if that in the US

[cycamps]

Thanks plainfielder13 for making this thread. I'm very interested in weather, along with coasters, so these are two of my favorite things.

I've never thought about this before. I'd have to agree with everyone else that the tunnels would probally be safe. The Pictorium might be safe too.

[plainfielder13]

Plainfield was the last F5 in the Chicagoland Area, I know because I live there. =) Also the people that enjoy my thread, you are more than welcome.