Every summer, port Townsend, Washington, hosts the Jefferson County Fair and the Rhododendron Festival. It's a big deal for the only incorporated city in a county that stretches west to east from the Pacific Ocean to Hood Canal and the start of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the main shipping channel to the ocean. For 30 years, Funtastic, a company based in Portland, Oregon, has supplied the carnival attractions and rides for this event. Although the need to rescue anyone from a malfunctioning ride has never arisen, Ted Krysinski, assistant chief and training officer for East Jefferson (WA) Fire Rescue (EJFR), wondered how that would all play out should that occur. He began looking at the Ferris wheel and the Zipper ride, the Tilt-a-Whirl, and the Scrambler as pieces of heavy equipment rather than amusement rides. This led him to discuss "what if' scenarios with the show manager, which was the beginning of a mutually beneficial partnership.
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