Safety measures are in place as soon as you hit the gate at the Big Fresno Fair. It’s something Michelle and Saima Nunez appreciate since they come to this event every year.
“Definitely secure and safe inside. I don’t have any fear coming here at all,” said Michelle Nunez, a fair visitor.
“We bring our kids here and we don’t ever have any problems,” said Saima Nunez, a fair visitor.
As many as 200,000 people are expected to come through here this weekend, so the potential for something to go wrong is very high. One way fair organizers limit trouble is by putting hundreds of public safety officers on the grounds.
“You’re going to see police officers, security guards, American ambulance, there are firefighters. There are a lot of uniformed people out here. We’re there to be proactive rather than reactive,” said Sgt. David Gibeault of the Fresno Police Dept.
Many choose to park in the Butler Ave. lot, which is well lit, but it’s huge. That’s where a train comes in to offer some convenience.
“We bring people in from the parking lot and into the gates. Saves their legs so they can use them on the inside,” said Bob Bowen of Western Express Railroad.
The shuttle keeps you out of harms way from drivers who may not see you walking through.
“And it’s something that they can do for free,” said Bowen.
Meanwhile, losing your child in an atmosphere like this can be a parent’s worst nightmare. Thankfully, the fair has a giant gingerbread house, better known as the Found Children Center.
“What we do is take care of them, we comfort them and we try to entertain them as best we can,” said Joyce Sanford of the Found Children Center.
Sanford says the best thing to do is take a moment once you arrive and fill out a card with the child’s name and your phone number.
“So if the child gets separated they can take it out of their pocket, shoe or wherever they have it and show it to somebody in a green shirt or police officer and say I’m lost, please find my parents,” said Sanford.
