SCHUYLKILL COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS -- Last week's tragedy at the Ohio State Fair is still on the minds of many people as county fairs begin all over our area.
Thousands of people will flock to the 34th annual Schuylkill County Fair this week. With such a large crowd expected, fair officials are making sure everything is safe.
This comes after a ride at the Ohio State Fair malfunctioned, killing a man and injuring several others last week.
Paul Kennedy is the Schuylkill County Fair president and is involved with dozens of other fairs across the state.
"Pennsylvania has one of the strongest ride safety records in all of the U.S. We have almost the top number of licensed amusement rides per state. We have a massive amount of ride inspectors," Kennedy said.
Before the fair started, all of the rides were inspected. Kennedy says it is a protocol for them to be inspected several times a day throughout the entire fair.
Not only are fair officials concerned about ride safety, they will also have inspectors there for their food and the animals at the fair.
"We have a veterinarian on staff who is here with us throughout the fair. We have animal health protocols and animal health emergency protocols. We have food safety protocols in place. The Department of Agriculture is here now doing food safety inspections," Kennedy explained.
With all of those security measures in place, organizers are confident the fair will be just as fun as it has been the last three decades.
"The fair really is an important function here in Schuylkill County. It's not just where people come and visit. It's where people come back to home," Kennedy added.