NORWICH – Planning the annual Chenango County Fair isn’t only about organizing entertainment, livestock shows, bringing in vendors and contracting with Coleman Brothers to provide amusements. According to Fair Board President Mary Weidman, it also includes working with city, county and state agencies to ensure the safety of those who attend.
“It takes all year to coordinate the fair,” said Weidman. “We collaborate with all our local officials. We want it to be safe and secure for children and families.”
City Code Enforcement Officer Jason Lawrence plays an important role in this process. As both code enforcement and fire marshall, Lawrence does a daily walk-through. He checks for the presence of fire extinguishers in every booth, makes sure propane and beverage gas tanks are secured and verifies that fire lanes are kept clear.
The on-duty shift from the Norwich Fire Department often accompanies Lawrence on these walk-throughs. This gives the firemen an opportunity to become familiar with the layout of booths and attractions at the fairgrounds so that they can respond more quickly if there is ever a problem.
“It takes up a lot of time, but the safety of people attending the fair is the major issue,” said Lawrence.
While the presence of Lawrence and members of the fire department is very visible, many inspections take place at the grounds before the fair opens to the public – like the health inspections conducted by the Chenango County Department of Public Health.
According to Bryan Coker, who operates J & L Concessions, food vendors are inspected by county or state officials at each venue. “We have a health inspection every week,” said Coker. “Most restaurants are only inspected once a year.”
Vendors take these inspections, and food safety in general, very seriously. Coker, whose booth is home to the deep-fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich, is certified through the National Registry of Food Safety Professionals.
All amusement rides are inspected prior to the show’s opening as well. These inspections are conducted by the New York State Department of Labor’s Division of Safety and Health. Rides are not allowed to open until they meet the division’s criteria.
Agriculture is obviously a large part of the fair. The presence of so many animals and livestock causes health concerns as well. According to Weidman, fair organizers worked closely with state agencies and Cornell Cooperative Extension to ensure that all disease prevention requirements are met. As part of this, hand washing stations and signage have been added to all animal areas.
Local law enforcement works closely with the Chenango County Fair to maintain the focus on safety during the event. Off-duty fire police are on hand during the day to help with crowd control and serve as a visible law enforcement presence.
Uniformed officers from the New York State Police and Norwich City Police team up to patrol the grounds during busier periods. “We have three to four officers patrolling from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.,” said Norwich City Police Officer Reuben Roach, who was partnered with New York State Trooper Tim Thatford on Wednesday night. The officers reported that there had been only minor incidents so far.
The Chenango County Sheriff’s Department also has a presence at the fair, but in a slightly different capacity. The department has a booth promoting its “Operation Safe Child” program.
Parents register their children for the program and the children are then photographed and fingerprinted. “The parents each get a card with this information which also goes into a New York State database,” said Sheriff’s Deputy Gary Miller. “If something happens to the child, the information is easy for law enforcement to obtain.”
According to Sheriff’s Deputy Bruce Winsor, nearly 1,000 children in Chenango County have been registered for the program since its inception in April. “This is a win-win situation for everyone,” said Winsor. “It benefits kids, it benefits parents, it benefits the Sheriff’s Department, and it’s free.”
Any medical emergencies are handled by the Norwich Fire Department’s EMS squad. The squad has an ambulance on hand during many of the events at the grand stand as well as a manned location near the fairground’s main entrance.
“We take care of any emergencies on the grounds until an engine gets here,” said EMT Jim Fowlston. According to Fowlston and fellow EMT Patrick Darling, the most common issues they encounter are heat emergencies, bee stings and minor cuts and scrapes.
Fowlston and Darling said that many of these issues can be avoided. “Dress appropriate for the weather,” said Darling. “Remember to wear sunscreen, drink lots of fluids and get out of the sun and into the shade as much as possible.”
They also want to remind parents to watch out for their children. “Kids can’t protect themselves.” said Fowlston.
Fair organizers feel the additional work that has gone into ensuring safety at the fair is well worth the effort. “This is a huge environment,” said Weidman. “We have to be very careful.”