WDBJ7 Roanoke News and Weather NRV Lynchburg Danville | Injuries from inflatable rides jump; State now stepping in
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If you're going to the Salem Fair this week, you can rest assured that safety is the number one concern, especially on inflatable rides.
They're popular because many believe inflatable rides are soft and harmless. However, more than 43-hundred people were injured on these types of rides in 2003. Salem Fair Operations Manager Andy Degeller believes the increase is tied to the growth of the industry. "I don't think it's because of operation so much as we're seeing more inflates than we've seen out there before," Degeller told News Seven.
The Salem Fair hires a private safety consultant to inspect inflatable rides daily, even though it's not required. The state of Virginia currently does not regulate inflatable rides but that will most likely change by the first of the year.
