Emergency Plan

[blastedmonkey]

Rcoaster, I hate to say it, but they do have an emergency plan for their guests. The problem being, as evidenced by yours and other people's behaviors in that video, they panick and don't listen or barely pay attention. In the video, there seemed to be people out in the park, trying to maintain some control. I don't mean to sound like a jerk, but that video is a prime example of what NOT to do. You ran around the park screaming and scaring other people. If you had acted in calmly and let the employees who KNEW what was going on, meaning security and leads, who I'm sure were on the phone lines contacting all their employees and informing them as in what to do, then things would have ran more smoothly. I've worked in hotels before during tornado warnings, and we have to get people down in the bottom hallways away from all windows. That's a building of 100 people and one person issuing orders. If one person starts to panick, they chain reaction is instantaneous and it becomes impossible to help any of the people you are responsible for. I was at the park when that happened as well, and the people I spoke with in security knew exactly where to take my group and what to do with us. None of us were panicking and running around willy nilly, so we KNEW what to do and we listened to the people in charge instead of spreading panic around to others.

[rcoaster]

That wasn't me. I just found that video. But yeah, I see that it was a mass chaos from that point of view.

[025740]

As an employee we were trained to get everyone to the nearest shelter, being a building, tunnel theatre anything that would provide protection. it is impossible To get everyone in the park to a designated area in such a short time. There are always warnings playing throughout the park anytime there is a chance of bad weather.
People need to use common sense and if there is a threat of severe weather why go to the park. I understand if there is a chance of rain because then lines are short but severe weather why risk it? Employees are told to get guest to shelter or tell them too seek shelter but then there are designated employee meeting areas for employees so everyone can be accounted for. In the case of a tornado warning no body in the park would care if you entered a restricted area for your safety. Also think most employees are young teenagers in a tornado warning they are going to forget procedures and freak out much like most guests. if you are in a severe threat at six flags seek shelter anything for protection is better than nothing...

[traincrossing9]

I know this isn't about tornados but i've heard stories of coasters getting hit by lightning. Does anyone have any pictures?

[Coasternut17]

Employees are told to get guest to shelter or tell them too seek shelter but then there are designated employee meeting areas for employees so everyone can be accounted for. In the case of a tornado warning no body in the park would care if you entered a restricted area for your safety. Also think most employees are young teenagers in a tornado warning they are going to forget procedures and freak out much like most guests. if you are in a severe threat at six flags seek shelter anything for protection is better than nothing...

You got it. That whole post pretty much sums up everything.

[rasslin]

Tornado or any other disaster?
There are three major attractions in Gurnee. The Gurnee Mills Mall, Great America, and most recently added Key Lime Cove. There is a plan in the works to build an even larger and more upscale mall at Route 45 North of Grand Ave. With all that potential for mass casualty incidents including weather, accidents or terrorism and with the population of Gurnee and the surrounding towns you would think there would be a hospital in Gurnee. There isn't. The best is the 10 bed facility operated by Condell.
Also, Gurnee cut back the ambulances while spending to build their own waterpark.
The closest real hospital is the reopened Vista which is 11 minutes away or Condell Libertyville which is 20 minutes away. (Ambulance Travel Times with lights and sirens.)
If you're injured in Gurnee, you better hope it's superficial!

[sfgamguy]

If you go to tornado warning at six flags great america on http://www.youtube.com you can see what happens in case of an emergency not too good of a reality

[*]this video is not mine but I really like it[*]

[Jackluver18]

It's thundering, lightining, raining and the tornado sirens are going off and people are running towards the cars, in my opinion it's funny to watch them run like a heard of elephants towards the entrance of the park but what good is that going to do them?

[blastedmonkey]

I've already stated that most of that panic is caused by people being stupid. They heard there was a tornado warning, it started to rain, they panicked, and when one person panics and is running around a crowded theme park, it creates a chain reaction in those around them. What happened in that video is by no means Six Flags fault, but the fault of those stupid kids running around in a fit, telling people to run because there is a tornado warning. If that hadn't have been the case, people would have done what is the SMART thing to do, and find security, which are released in force all over the park when this happens, and would have been escorted to a safe area. You don't ask Joe Nobody at the popcorn stand. You don't ask the panicky kid, you ask the people in charge. You can see in that video how the people coming out of the ride were totally calm until those kids ran up and scared the crap out of them. I'm sorry, it just bugs me that people point out that video and claim that Six Flags has no plans to try and keep people safe, based on a video where a bunch of kids are going around scaring people. I'm not trying to be a jerk, but it's unfair to base ANYTHING off of this video.

[Jcoaster95]

Is The Dark Knight a safe place to go in the event of a tornado? I know there is a big open space at the bottom of the ride building, but if the former theater royale is unsafe, there is a door to the station for employes by the exit area behind the pictures/gift shop.

Also, are the maitenance/electrical areas on the B&M coaster under the station or in the area the trains are stored? They shound probably not let guests in these areas during a tornado, but the power would be out in these areas anyways.

Speaking of saftey, I got stuck on the Dark Knight once on the last brake run for like 5-10 muinites, and there was no catwalk on eather side of the brake run. Do they not have to add those to magnetic brakes runs?

[Galvan316]

I wouldn't want to go near anything with the words "Electrical Room" in it during a tornado.

Six Flags needs to have a Severe Weather plan in place. But then again whats the difference between Six Flags and the Gerogia Dome that recently had an event take place and a Tornado hit downtown Atlanta.

[FParker185]

Magnetic Brakes are not capable of stopping the car, so catwalks aren't necessary.

[Jcoaster95]

They must have friction wheels or or something, it does stop there. If you can get stuck there, then they should have catwalks.

[FParker185]

That is true. I'm not sure how it works, as I've personally only ridden it once and I really dont plan on riding it again anytime in the forseeable future as I dont plan on going back to SFGAm anytime in the forseeable future. But if there is a friction tire there or anything that can stop it, it should have some means of evacuation.

[traincrossing9]

It's like 5 feet off the ground. Just jump! Sheesh...

[saylorman47]

Where do you think the most fun place to take cover would be?

I would say under TDK (like they wold allow that) but I think it would just be a weird experiance to be looking up at the scenery and other stuff just to check it out.

[zjohn1988]

That is true. I'm not sure how it works, as I've personally only ridden it once and I really dont plan on riding it again anytime in the forseeable future as I dont plan on going back to SFGAm anytime in the forseeable future. But if there is a friction tire there or anything that can stop it, it should have some means of evacuation.

I don't think it is a magnetic braking system...A last resort situation would be take people off using a ladder. Maintenance can also release the air pressure in the brake system, I believe, which would release the car moving it into the station probably hitting the car in front of it (not hard enough to cause damage). Both methods are pretty much last resort options.

[RagingBullFan]

TDK braking system consists of both friction and magnetic brakes, generally with magnetic brakes at the beginning of the segment (for trimming) and friction brakes at the end of the same segment (for stopping).

[Jerrykoala2112]

Every man for themselves I guess, just run!!!

[totfreak7]

I just got back from SFGAm on June 28th. It was pouring rain for an hour.. AT least it wasn't a tornado warning . As everyone was running and panicing, It reminded me of the video. Only a few people (including myself) were walking because we were already soaked. It was kind of a scary experiance though. Every now and then some people would scream and for some reason I would always imaging a coaster falling apart or something... lol

[tp41190]

I was at Mt Olympus on Saturday with a really bad wind storm.

It came out of no where and everything was flying. Everyone was running and screaming. Benches, pool chairs, umbrellas, signs, tree branches, ect went everywhere! A tree also split in half as we were running up the path. The wind only lasted for about 2 mins but it was kind of scary.

[The Butterfly]

Former Shows Employee here!

They had so many Severe Watches not warnings when i was working it was ridiculous. I asked all three of my supers and they said shelter is your Changing area to others knowledgeable about the park our dock box. Mine was where to some people may remember in Marti Gras they used to have a Recording Studio, well they shut that down and thats where I was. One time we had a watch, it came over the speakers, the other stilt walkers and I had just enough time to quickly walk into our box and shut the door behind us and it came down in buckets. It was like Hurricane Harbor blew up and flooded the area. Big time totally. People in raincoats gave up on tring to stay dry and I kept on saying to everybody "I dont remember signing up to be dumped on by Hurricane Harbor. Even the tunnel rain spouts had been flooding the tunnel. The side walk was full with Raging Rapids that they where I sware if they could pass out life vests to get threw there they would have. It was really bad and I think it was an hour before closing and they closed down. That is a night i'll never forget.

[CoasterCruiser]

This is not a tornado story, but once I was waiting at deja vu and when we finally reached the station (2 hours later), it started pouring and a bunch of people left, so we were next to ride. So in the end, after waiting 5 hours total, we left and a minute later it was running! I was so ticked!