All secure at the county fair
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on October 3, 2017 12:36 PM
Fair planning used to consist mostly of thinking about contingency plans for weather-related events.
But as other, more sinister threats have been thrust into the national spotlight -- much like the recent Las Vegas shooting that left at least 59 people dead and hundreds more injured -- fair officials are planning more for security than in previous years.
Wayne County Regional Agricultural Fair Manager Eddie Pitzer said officials work closely with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office and Emergency Services personnel in the run up to the fair to establish protocols for what to do if disaster strikes.
Pitzer said fair officials and emergency personnel meet prior to the fair to review the schedule of events, map out where everything will be and develop evacuation and response plans.
There are officers stationed at each gate. While there are no metal detectors, large bags or backpacks are checked before being allowed into the fair.
"Anything that is of suspicious nature we try to check out," Pitzer said.
Weapons -- concealed or otherwise -- are not allowed on the fairgrounds.
Beyond bag checks, Pitzer said there are also roving patrols in the crowds to consistently monitor crowd movement.
There are also surveillance cameras to allow staff to watch large areas of the fairgrounds at one time.
All emergency personnel not on patrol are stationed at a centralized command post so they can communicate smoothly and efficiently with regularity.
This also gives authorities the ability to immediately respond to any threat if it should arise.
"We are constantly monitoring the crowd to see who's on the fairgrounds as they come in, as well as once they're on the fairgrounds," Pitzer said.