Following incidents of gun violence at both the Summit and Cuyahoga county fairs, the Great Geauga County Fair has taken steps to assure the public of its safety.
Following incidents of gun violence at both the Summit and Cuyahoga county fairs, the Great Geauga County Fair has taken steps to assure the public of its safety.
According to reporting by News 5 Cleveland, a 17-year-old fairgoer was shot in the parking lot of the Summit fair shortly after it had closed for the day. Several other incidents included teenagers throwing objects at the animal barn doors, a physical altercation and a group of people running through the fairgrounds spreading false claims about a shooting.
Similarly, WKYC reported an 18-year-old being shot at the Cuyahoga fair earlier this month. Per the article, a fight between 10 young adults near the concession stands escalated to gunfire.
“In light of recent incidents at other local county fairs, the Great Geauga County Fair wants to reassure guests that safety and security remain our number one priority,” fair secretary Meg Noah said in a press release Aug. 11. “Through strong partnerships with the Geauga County Sheriff’s (Office), the Geauga County prosecutor, local fire departments, EMS and trained volunteers, we have a comprehensive plan in place to help create a secure and welcoming environment for everyone.”
The sheriff’s office has a fully-staffed command center on the fairgrounds, the fair board said in the release, noting deputies will patrol the grounds and parking lot by foot, vehicle and “mobile surveillance units.”
The fair also works closely with the Geauga County Fire Chief’s Association liaison for fire and EMS support, officials said.
“The fair maintains a zero-tolerance policy for any behavior that threatens the safety or enjoyment of our guests. Anyone engaging in unsafe or disruptive actions will be promptly escorted from the grounds, helping us preserve the friendly, family atmosphere our visitors expect,” the release said.
Officials went on to list additional safety measures fairgoers can expect. These include child safety ID bracelets parents can write their name and phone number on; bags being subject to search at any time; a ban on face masks except for medical masks provided upon request; security and traffic cameras, public safety drone operations; a comprehensive emergency management plan that includes mass text notifications to EMS, volunteers and staff; on-site medical staff and volunteer transport teams.
“Safety and security are our number one priority,” said fair board President Wendy Anderson in the release. “We work closely with law enforcement, emergency services and our incredible volunteers to keep a strong safety presence throughout the fair. Everyone — from our staff and vendors to participants and guests — is encouraged to be our eyes and ears in reporting anything suspicious. Together, we foster an environment where families can focus on enjoying their time at the fair.”
Fair officials are confident in their ability to keep the community safe during the event, Noah told Geauga County Commissioners during their Aug. 12 meeting, reiterating their staff’s working relationship with the sheriff’s office.
“We work constantly with the fair board and with Meg to ensure that we have the staff with deputies and other things we can do to ensure the safety,” Chief Deputy Tom Rowan added. “We bring all kinds of signage in there, lighting, we have cameras, the little Flock cameras, things like that. We take it very seriously if anything goes on.”
They will be in constant communication with the Northeast Ohio Regional Fusion Center, which is designated and recognized by the Department of Homeland Security to facilitate stronger inter-agency communications and information sharing to anticipate criminal activity, Rowan added.
Senior fair board Director Jim McCasky, who is also chairman of the fair’s safety and security committee, said these measures were not a knee-jerk reaction.
“We’ve met probably about a month ago with the fire department and everybody else. It’s an ongoing continuation of just improvement on the safety issues at the fair,” he said. “(The sheriff’s office’s) presence is second to none and we are very confident in our security and safety we have.”
The fair is in its third phase of a plan to add more cameras to the grounds, Noah noted, with the last installation giving eyes on gates one and nine, the biggest entrances to the fair.
Lights in the parking lot have also recently been renovated, she added.
As both the Summit and Cuyahoga incidents happened late at night, Commissioner Carolyn Brakey asked if the fair board was considering closing early or increasing police presence.
At this point, there is no plan to close early, McCasky said, noting an increased police presence isn’t necessary as the fair already has a large one.
“We hate to let them win and ruin it for our community,” Noah said, noting there is a plan in place if such a thing was necessary.
Brakey suggested the board consider raising ticket prices in future years, as a higher gate fee makes it more difficult for outsiders to come in and make trouble.
“People buying pre-sale tickets are not people that want to cause trouble,” she said. “Those are our local Geauga County people that are coming because they love the fair. The people that are causing trouble, they’re buying those tickets at the gate.”
