If you have ever experienced the exhilaration and fear of amusement parks together, set aside your popcorn because we are about to share an unforgettable story. Envision this scenario: a tranquil park day culminates in you hanging upside down for a tense twenty minutes! You did really read correctly. Twenty minutes in total. This exact experience was had by over twenty-six riders at Portland’s Oaks Amusement Park’s AtmosFEAR ride, and they all survived.
At approximately 2:55 p.m. on what appeared to be a typical Friday, the AtmosFEAR rollercoaster made its appearance. It abruptly stopped as it approached its “apex position,” or the point where it suspends riders upside down many stories above the earth. Please start the dramatic music!
The ride operators started “emergency procedures” as soon as they dialed 911. The fire crew arrived on the scene and got to work before you could even get another handful of cotton candy. A huge thank you to the first responders and the employees of the amusement park for their quick thinking and handling of this chaotic circumstance.
Let us now introduce you to a few of our courageous, if unintentional, daredevils. Daniel Allen is first, who wept with relief rather than excitement or sadness when his feet finally touched the wonderful, delicious land. “I was in tears.” I was alive, and I was happier. Daniel said, “I think I’ve never appreciated my life more,” and that this experience had served as a wake-up call for him.
Another rider, Jordan Harding, described her own very distressing encounter. She said, “My whole waist below was asleep.” I was told by another rider to hold my legs back. It was really challenging. It was just awful. However, there is always a bright side, and for Jordan, that bright side was a small but formidable woman fireman. Jordan continued, “She literally picked me up, and I was just so overwhelmed and everything, so I gave her the biggest hug.”
Fortunately, all of the riders—aside from one person who was sent to a nearby hospital out of precaution because they had pre-existing medical issues—were evaluated by emergency personnel and given the all-clear to return home. The Portland Fire Department had prepared for precisely this kind of situation, so while this incident was a stress test, there is positive news. How about being ready!?
The rescue operation proceeded as smoothly as it could have in such disorienting conditions under their steady hands. The fire department said, “We are ready for this and many other unique emergencies. It may have taken a few more minutes to get everyone back on the ground.” Truly, nothing should be left to chance!
Regarding the mechanical offender, AtmosFEAR, which debuted in 2021, had been functioning well up until that fateful Friday. Oaks Park managers are already preparing for a comprehensive investigation in collaboration with state inspectors and the ride’s manufacturer to determine why the attraction attempted to channel its inner action movie.
Following the event, the park promptly shuttered for the day, and according to its website, AtmosFEAR will remain closed until further notice. Which is probably a good thing, let’s face it!
What then is the lesson to be learned from this wild story? It’s always best to prepare for the unexpected, even if it means hanging upside down in the sky. This is, I guess, a pretty decent metaphor for life—full of ups and downs, turns and twists, and the necessity of having a strong support network when things go a little out of control.
