Employee says she was fired after Splash Island chemicals spill

Sounds like the Employees fired did the right thing. Perhaps the lawsuits that will sure to follow break Land South's will to continue to run this park and sell it to someone who actually knows what they're doing..

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I guess I'm a OS X, Windows , Solaris 10 , Linux, and Unix fanboy. Did I miss any OS?

If she did like her employer wanted, chances are her symptoms would have been worse, if not fatal. She did what anyone would have done in that situation and should win any lawsuit if she chooses to file one.

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ThrillNetwork Moderator
The user formerly known as WildeFyre
UOIT Mechanical Engineering Student

^Agreed. Who wouldn't call 911 in a situation like that? She shouldn't have lost her job for doing the right thing.

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She's not the only one that can sue. Some of the employees were sent to the hospital due to fume inhalation.

Chemical spill at Cypress Gardens sends 5 to hospital - Bay News 9

thats five personal injury suits to go along with her lawsuit. Normally, I wouldn't wish so many lawsuits on a theme park, but since its Land South, I hope the employees gets the meanest, nastiest laywers they can find and sink Land South like the RMS Titanic.

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"I'm going off the rails on a crazy train"

I guess I'm a OS X, Windows , Solaris 10 , Linux, and Unix fanboy. Did I miss any OS?

They definitely have a reason to sue. Sounds like things were handles right by the employee. Land south had dug there grave let them through the dirt in.

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Michael C

Do any of you work at a park, or have worked at a park? Most, if not all parks have facilities in place to do appropriate first-response to any incident that happens in the park. While I think re-training was in order instead of a firing, she DEFINITELY delayed the proper response by not following protocol and not contacting someone in the park first. I would bet money that Harden was mis-quoted and wasn't saying that she should have hosed it down immediately herself, but that someone should have came and hosed it down. Most likely someone with their safety department. At least I hope my gut is right there.

At my park, we heavily stress to use the park's internal emergency number, because by the time outside EMS or fire responds, our internal EMS or fire has solved the problem, or has it stabilized so that it's manageable. If you don't notify the internal emergency services, you're really asking for trouble there and putting the guests, or other team members in jeopardy. It has nothing to do with "hiding problems".

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Well, the article does state that she did call the park manager as well as the police.

Considering she was head of the water park, I assume she knew what she was doing. Maybe she thought that the in park clean up services didn't have the proper equipment to deal with that chemical spill.

And yes, I have worked at a park.

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ThrillNetwork Moderator
The user formerly known as WildeFyre
UOIT Mechanical Engineering Student

That particular park is ran by a company that has no Amusement Park Experience at all, nor do they care. They are well known for not spending any money on the park and most of their safety equipment is quite dilapidated. Also,with the chemical in question , spraying water on it is the last thing you'd want to do.

Land South bought Cypress Gardens in hopes of convincing the state to lift the development easement and the Historic Landmark protection so they can build condos. Since that failed, they've simply lost interest in doing anything to the park other than selling off what they can. They have sunk the park back into oblivion and if there's any good to come out of this incident, its that its the begining of the end of their ownership.

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"I'm going off the rails on a crazy train"

I guess I'm a OS X, Windows , Solaris 10 , Linux, and Unix fanboy. Did I miss any OS?

Reading the article, it seemed like there was some sort of delay with the calling of the park manager. I could be interpreting that incorrectly though.

Ryan, at the park that you worked at, did they stress to call an internal emergency number? I know at Great Adventure it was drilled into my head, and now I am one of the people who drill it into the heads of Team Members. Disney has the world, so of course the internal number was drilled into us there as well.

I didn't know that Cypress Gardens was in a situation where they have disinterested owners. That does change the situation a bit.

Lastly, why would diluting a pool chemical with water be the last thing you want to do when in using a pool chemical, it must get diluted in water? Not following you there Scioneer.

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It has to do with the high concentration of the chemical. This wasn't a predetermined dose-worth of the stuff, but a whole bunch of it. Even the amount you put in the pools gives of some fumes when you put it in the pool, just not a dangerous amount like hosing down a huge amount of the stuff would do. The hoses wouldn't be able to dilute it quick enough and as a result the fumes would get stronger, not weaker.

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"I'm going off the rails on a crazy train"

I guess I'm a OS X, Windows , Solaris 10 , Linux, and Unix fanboy. Did I miss any OS?

rj, they did stress the importance of calling the internal emergency number and managers, but I worked in rides and never had to deal with deadly chemicals, so I'm not sure what the situation is like in water parks.

I still think she did the right thing, because by calling 911 emergency first, it allowed them to get to the scene quicker, rather than calling management first, who would call internal emergency, who (in this situation) probably would have had to call external help.

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ThrillNetwork Moderator
The user formerly known as WildeFyre
UOIT Mechanical Engineering Student

Most of all the themeparks arent trained to deal with a major hazmat issue. Theres too much training and money involved. You have to call 911 anyways if the spill is big. The park manager can wait on his or her call. Lol.

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Thanks Scioneer. I'm not too familiar with pool chemicals, so that's why I asked. I definitely agree that in this situation park emergency would have most likely called 911 themselves, but that doesn't mean she should have called them first IMO. The thing that's clearly wrong, and indisputable (again, IMO) is her termination. If they really wanted to let her know to follow protocol, they could have simply written her up. In that case, that's still a bit extreme.

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Even if she wasn't fired then, she would be fired now. All park employees have been laid off and the park closed.

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ThrillNetwork Moderator
The user formerly known as WildeFyre
UOIT Mechanical Engineering Student

Basically he just saved himself a week or so. He was going to do it anyway.

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Thrillnetwork Moderator - Sophomore Original sn: CHILLERLC1
2008 & 2009 TN Coaster Draft Champion
You knew I wanted the other repeat too

You should've submitted this for news.

FYI:

Cypress Gardens closes, to find new buyer | ThrillNetwork.com

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