FC411 Special -- E.Coli: The Story

We apologize for not having this story up sooner but we've had some problems with our website with not allowing us to save our information.  We've contacted the website provider and we hope to have the problem resolved soon.  Until then we have decided to post our EColi Special here on Thrills Forums for you all to read.

All the information you are about to read has been reviewed by Frontier City Park Officials and we back everything up we have written.  We appreciate Frontier City working with us to get all the information out and giving us the facts.  Shall we begin...?

Frontier City was not forced but made a management decision to close early Thursday evening.  About 1,200 guests were in the park prior the to early close.  It all begin when the water, "just stopped working", said Andrea Pennock Marketing Manager at Frontier City and White Water Bay.  Not being able to keep restrooms operational and guests hydrated, Frontier City closed early.

As most of you know, Frontier City runs on a well program, which there are four of them in the park.  The wells are checked and tested monthly with six samples of water that are sent to the Department of Environmental Quality(DEQ).  Which are tested and results can be given within a day.  The park would be immediately notified by the DEQ that ONE of the SIX tests came back unsatisfactory.  Upon that notice all water at the theme park was terminated.

On Friday, guests would find themselves stuck outside the gates in a traffic jam ready to enter the park.  They would soon come to find out the park would not open until 12:30pm that afternoon.  During Thursday night and Friday morning the park was busy installing new mechanical chlorination systems and facilities were being sanitized.  Prior to the opening the DEQ would issue a boil warning for Frontier City.  Which was forced again to keep the drinking fountains off and that forced the park to hand out free bottled water.  Signs were posted near every water source and the park would sale bagged chips instead of opening the restraunts.

Saturday the park opened at normal operating hours and had a great turnout for the busy concert Saturday.  The park would remain in a boil warning until Saturday afternoon around 2:00pm.  As a extra procaution the park sent EIGHT water samples to the DEQ that were all tested satisfactory.

Clearing up some media wrongness...The park was NOT FORCED to close.  It was a management decision.  No state or goverment officials ever told them they had to close.  Also no team members or guests have reported being sick from this issue.

Article by Becca Wright
-Frontier City 411 Media Spokesperson

A Word from Josh:
"I had a great conversation with Andrea Pennock on this whole ordeal the night and morning of the issue.  As she insured me, no guests or team members were ever in any danger due this problem.  It was caught very quickly and early.  To think that ONE of SIX tests were unsatisfactory, what says this test was not false?  Frontier City didn't take any chances and automatically got the issue fixed with a great timely manner.  One great thing I noticed was that Frontier City NEVER tried to hide anything.  How many business' do you know that would flat out let the story spill?  None rarely.  I give Frontier City great rating on how they handled the situation and gave great ideas on how to still have an operating theme park with no water.  It was amazing to hear about what Frontier City was doing to keep themselves open.  Free water and bagged chips, not the best meal but it beats nothing at all.  Frontier City has blown my mind on how well they handled the situation.  I would like to say good job to Stephen Ball and all of the management staff.  You guys really did an awesome job and keep up the hard work."

Josh.