AGAWAM, Mass., May 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Six Flags New England announced today
that changes will be made to the restraint system on the Superman roller
coaster to enhance the safety of the ride. "A thorough investigation of this
ride has been collectively conducted by park staff, Six Flags safety engineers
and safety experts, independent safety engineers, the ride manufacturer as
well as the Department of Public Safety and the Agawam Police Department," Ron
Sevart, general manager and vice president, Six Flags New England explained.
"We have decided to modify the restraint system on this coaster to address
concerns identified by the Department of Public Safety," said Sevart. The two
similar coasters in Six Flags parks in Largo, Maryland and Buffalo, New York
will also receive these enhancements.
"We believe that the current restraint configuration was the primary
factor in Saturday's tragic accident," Sevart said. "We are making several
modifications to address those concerns including:
The length of the ride-manufacturer-supplied seatbelts in the first row of
each coach will be shortened to conform with all other seatbelts in the
coaster. By shortening these seatbelts, those guests who may be too large to
be safely accommodated by the restraint system will not be able to ride.
We are also continuing to examine other modifications to the primary
restraint system to further increase guest safety. We are currently
conducting the engineering to modify the lapbar to fit more securely and
restrict those individuals who may be too large to be safely accommodated by
the existing restraint system. We also are looking into extending the seat
bottoms forward to improve rider position and further enhance the
effectiveness of the restraints. By extending the seat bottom, we will help
ensure riders maintain the proper position for the duration of the ride
cycle."
In addition to the modifications to the restraint system described above,
Six Flags is also in the process of reviewing all operating procedures for
this ride.
"The thoughts and prayers of everyone here at Six Flags New England
continue to be with the Modarsky family," Sevart said.
"Six Flags theme parks entertain more than 37 million guests annually,"
Sevart said. "We want to assure our guests that nothing is more important to
us than their safety. We are committed to making all necessary modifications
to our Superman coaster to continue our pledge to delivering a safe and fun
experience for all of our guests."
SOURCE Six Flags New England
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Related links:
http://www.sixflags.com
CONTACT:
Mary Ann Burns of Six Flags New England,
+1-413-786-9300, ext. 3358, or mstebbin@sftp.com
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