Great America and a tornado

[RBull4life]

The outbreak of the bad weather down by Joliet, had me thinking. Where would guests go in the event of a F5 tornado on a direct course for the park on a busy day? Are there shelters located in the park, or do you just pray that you make it out in one piece?

[zjohn1988]

They have to seek shelter wherever possible outside of the ride areas. Employees have certain places to hide (Dare Devil Dive, Demon, Loggers Run, etc), but they cant tell guests where specifically to go.
If the guests decide to follow, the employees cant push them away.

[iluvthebullforever]

I don't know. Leaving would be the best option. Why would you stay and what is the point?

[Cuss]

I'm sure the park monitors the weather from around 2 hours before park opening, to 2 hours after park closing, so a tornado warning wouldn't be something that catches the park off guard. If they saw a tornado coming, they'd have the park evacuted as best as possible as there probably isn't enough shelter to hold everyone. I believe employees would go to electrical rooms beneath the rides like the one beneath V2. A much more serious problem would be a serious bomb threat since it would catch the park off guard and have to be handled very delicately.

[FParker185]

well one time being in Eagles Station during a tornado(warning, there was a touchdown nearby but not on park grounds) we were led under the station, and once it let up we were led to the storm shelter located in the arcade in County Fair.

Though if it were to be an F5, most structures would not survive, not even 90% of storm shelters even built for that purpose, there would be a huge number of casualties.

[CoasterDude12-2]

They put you under the station? That's stupid. Under the station creates a wind tunnel effect because there's less room for wind to get through, so it faster I think. And if it was strong enough, the storm could demolish the station and crush everyone under it.

[zjohn1988]

I'm sure the park monitors the weather from around 2 hours before park opening, to 2 hours after park closing, so a tornado warning wouldn't be something that catches the park off guard. If they saw a tornado coming, they'd have the park evacuted as best as possible as there probably isn't enough shelter to hold everyone. I believe employees would go to electrical rooms beneath the rides like the one beneath V2. A much more serious problem would be a serious bomb threat since it would catch the park off guard and have to be handled very delicately.

Most keys in possession of ride ops dont open the control rooms. The park does monitor the weather constantly in different areas of the park. They get weather warnings from nws.

[FRD714]

Lets just put it this way. If your at the park when an F5 tornado hits, your f*cked.

[RBull4life]

I'm sure the park monitors the weather from around 2 hours before park opening, to 2 hours after park closing, so a tornado warning wouldn't be something that catches the park off guard. If they saw a tornado coming, they'd have the park evacuted as best as possible as there probably isn't enough shelter to hold everyone

A tornado warning would not catch the park off guard, but, an accual tornado would. I twister can form 10 miles West of the park, with little warning.

I don't know. Leaving would be the best option. Why would you stay and what is the point?

See above. If a twister was to form that close, by the time you got to your car, you would be flying next to Dorothy and Toto.

I would like to think that the park would have a better plan to protect its guests in the event of a tornado than to try to evacute them into the incoming storm, and what would be the point. I can hear this over the intercom, "Ladies, and Gentleman. The National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning. A tornado has been sighted on a course for Six Flags. We urge you to remain calm, and procceed to your car so you may leave the park grounds for your safety.", or something like that.

[Nystagmus]

When I worked at the park we were trained (and I trained my employees) on where to send guests in the event of a tornado or other serious weather event. The areas included buildings, beneath ride platforms, low lying areas, etc.

Also, zjohn is correct. Ride ops do not have keys to certian areas of their location. If the ride ops are not allowed to touch half their control panel, why would they be allowed in the room that houses the ride's computer? I would think twice about using the control room of a ride as shelter. Too many pieces of electrical equipment for my own liking. But, I'd take it if I needed to. (Quick jump back to the last paragraph... "beneath ride platforms" does not always mean control room. As a previous poster said, you could go under the station. Some rides have pits below them that, if needed in extreme cases, can be opened for shelter.)

By the way, SFGAm does take into consideration (and prepare/plan for) many unfortunate events that may happen. They do have plans for tornados, bomb threats, nuclear melt downs, etc. Guests are important to them and they will do anything they can to make sure, that in the most basic and wildest scenarios, the guests are taken care of. In all honestly, it is no different than other companies. I am sure Gurnee Mills has many plans worked out for whatever may come their way.

[Trailblazer Tony]

^Well that's very reassuring considering i live two minutes from Joliet and my work tonight had no stinking idea what to do!

By the way, very good topic, this has always been an interest of mine as well.

[w00dland]

I'd run underneath the train tunnel, no Tornado will be getting in there.

[RBull4life]

^ An excellent idea.

nuclear melt downs

[RagingBullLover1543]

Lets just put it this way. If your at the park when an F5 tornado hits, your f*cked.

Pretty much.

[rb1]

The park is probably well prepared to handle bad weather. Im sure every food booths, shops, theater will let people in even if theyre not allowed to due to an emergency like a tornado and every staff will direct you where to seek shelter so you dont have to worry about anything.

[Cuss]

Most keys in possession of ride ops dont open the control rooms. The park does monitor the weather constantly in different areas of the park. They get weather warnings from nws.

True, but it would take very little time for each supervisor to run to each attraction and unlock the control room doors. My friend who was a ride op at CP said during heavy weather and tornado warnings employees did go beneath the rides, or into the control rooms which were unlocked by attraction leads.

Like I said with the park monitoring the weather, apparently they have some program which shows them readings off a doppler. So usually the park sups know at noon, if there will be a major storm at night. And under normal tornado condiditions, they would be notified of a tornado watch and take the necessary steps to keep everyone safe as much as possible.

From what the CP employee told me, as many people as possible are evacuted over the intercom,(it seems many though choose to leave on there own.) The rest are left to find shelter on their own in merchandise stores, or any other available areas. But there is not a team of people that go out and assist people, or encourging them to find shelter. You either comply with the warnings, or face mother nature on your own.

[ragingbullchick]

This event is very unlikely. There are only so many F5s in history, so what are the odds of one at SFGAm?

[RBull4life]

I should have said any size tornado. Doesn't have to be a F5.

[ragingbullchick]

^ Okay, then the situation gets more likely, but it's still a strong chance that this would never happen. In other words, this is absolutley nothing to worry about.

[andyvball93]

Alrite if there was a tornado I would definately run to Gurnee Mills, or if i didnt have time I'd get into and arcade

[FRD714]

This event is very unlikely. There are only so many F5s in history, so what are the odds of one at SFGAm?

Well one did hit HH on May 27, 2006.

[CoasterDude12-2]

^Yeah, but that one wasn't an F-5. But an F-5 did hit Plainfield in 1990. And I lived the next town over.

[Timmy179]

Alrite if there was a tornado I would definately run to Gurnee Mills, or if i didnt have time I'd get into and arcade

ha

[joker]

i would create panic.

[RBull4life]

This event is very unlikely. There are only so many F5s in history, so what are the odds of one at SFGAm?

Well one did hit HH on May 27, 2006.

Ha. Good one.


There may be a 99% that it will never happen ragingbullchick, but there is that 1% chance that it will. I was just curious as to how the park would handle something like that. I also find it interesting reading how everybody would react in that situtation.