THEY’RE LOOKING OUT FOR BEFORE THE FAIR BEGINS. I ALWAYS FEEL AROUND FOR SHARP EDGES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, I’M HAPPY TO SAY I’VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 50 YEARS. ALLEN SCANLON AND INDEPENDENT RIDE INSPECTOR SAYS HIS JOB BEGINS WELL BEFORE THE MACHINES ARE PUT TOGETHER. AND TYPICALLY WE ARRIVE AS THE AMUSEMENT RIDES ARE ARRIVING BECAUSE THERE’S A LOT OF THINGS WE LOOK AT ON THE TRUCK AND SOME OF THOSE COMPONENTS ARE COMPLETELY HIDDEN. ONCE THE RIDE IS COMPLETELY SET UP. SO THAT’S THE PURPOSE OF COMING IN, YOU KNOW, A WEEK OR A WEEK AND A HALF PRIOR TO THE FAIR. ONCE THINGS ARE ALL SET UP, IT’S TIME TO CHECK IF THEY’RE RUNNING SMOOTHLY. IT’S BASICALLY JUST WATCHING THE OPERATOR PUSH THE BUTTONS TO START THE RIDE THAT’S ABOUT AND SEE IF THE RIDE IS RUNNING AT THE CORRECT SPEED. IT’S ON A TIMER, IT HITS SWITCHES AND IT KNOWS WHAT TO DO. ALL THE OPERATOR REALLY HAS TO DO IS HIT THE START BUTTON. YOU CHECK EACH ONE OF THESE RIDES ABOUT HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR YOU TO DO A CHECK ON A RIDE LIKE THIS? WELL, IT VARIES FROM RIDE TO RIDE, WHICH YOU CAN FIGURE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 30 MINUTES TO AN HOUR WHILE CAL EXPO WAS DOING THEIR PART TO MAKE SURE THE RIDES ARE FUN AND SAFE, INSPECTORS SAY THERE’S THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO TO KEEP YOUR FAMILY SAFE. AND IT STARTS WITH READING THE SIGNS. ANYBODY AND EVERYBODY COMES OUT HERE. I ASK HIM TO PLEASE READ THE SAFE EVERY RIDE HAS SAFETY GUIDELINES ON THE FRONT OF IT. READ THOSE AND COMPLY WITH IT. SCANLON SAYS. IF A RIDE IS PROPERLY TAKEN CARE OF, IT CAN PROVIDE FUN FOR GENERATIONS, AS IF THEY’RE BUILT RIGHT AND MAINTAIN RIDE, THEY CAN LAST. YOU KNOW, IT’S LIKE ANYTHING. IF YOU TAKE CARE OF IT. I MEAN, ANYTHING MECHANICAL, IF YOU TAKE CARE OF IT. I MEAN, THERE’S PARTS THAT WEAR OUT AND YOU REPLACE THOSE PARTS, BUT IF YOU TAKE CARE OF IT, IT’LL LAST A LONG TIME. AT CAL EXPO DENEEK