In less than 24 hours, the Franklin County Fair will kick off in Hilliard.
Some could call it one of the safest fairgrounds because of its unique location right next to the Hilliard Police Department.
“We met several months ago, probably within the first week I was here to talk about security on the grounds,” Rod Garnett, fairground co-manager, said. “We have what we feel is an adequate plan in place.”
Garnett wouldn't share their plan, but he is the former police chief for Hilliard and helped to put together the fair's evacuation plans and emergency response.
“[We] have a community hotline on our cell phones that everybody is on so if somebody sends a text message, all the members [and] the staff will hear that immediately and somebody can react to it,” Garnett said.
The Fairgrounds has partnered with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office to provide deputies for the grounds.
Ride vendors also play a significant role in the safety of families. In addition to ride inspections, ride operators are trained to stop a ride if anything suspicious takes place.
“If there is anybody that like approaches a ride and not a patron not waiting in line, you stop everything immediately,” said Karen Bates of Bates Amusement, the company that provides the rides for the fair. “So, everybody is out of harm’s way.”
In addition to professional security, there will also be 21 fairground board members assisting with emergency response if need be.