Opening day for a water park in California proved to be a close call for a 10-year-old boy. The boy flew off of the 3-story ride and landed on the concrete. He's expected to be okay.
Every year, 42-hundred people in the United States are treated in emergency rooms for waterslide injuries. Managers at The Bay water park in South Kansas City are taking action to make sure their customers don't get hurt.
Waterslide fan Curtis Taylor described the tallest water slide at The Bay as a giant toilet.
"It flushes you down and spins you around and drops you in," said Taylor.
Last Summer Caleb Schwab, was having the time of his life, when he was killed on the Verruckt slide at Schlitterbahn in Kansas City, Kansas. More than 42,000 people a year. Parents at The Bay are familiar with the latest incidents and are being especially careful.
Shannon Carter and her husband are at The Bay, with their children.
"Definitely as a mom, you think about it; you think about what is going to happen if they go on water slides and just making sure they're safe." said Carter.
Managers and lifeguards at The Bay inspect every water slide, every day. On busy days 16 lifeguards are strategically positioned in every pool and at the beginning and end of each water slide.
"We make sure the and that the people at the top and bottom are communicating with each other; whether they're using thumbs to say 'good to go' ... and 'x' means to stop," said Ashanti Hazley, park manager at The Bay.
Water parks and amusement parks do not have federal regulations.
