by Akart, Bobby
Chapter Forty-Six
Six Flags Great Adventure
Jackson, New Jersey
Two of the firefighters left the group and began climbing higher to the top of Kingda Ka, carrying one of the duffle bags with them. They were wearing headgear, which included a flashlight to illuminate the way, leaving their hands free to climb. Tyler watched them ascend the ladder until he was unable to turn further in his seat.
The chief began to explain his rescue plan. “The key to your rescue is to remain calm at all times. Now, let me say this. You’re much braver than I am to get on this crazy roller coaster to begin with. The fact that you’ve remained calm is a remarkable testament to your mental willpower in the face of danger.”
“Too bad the others didn’t sit still,” mumbled one of the female passengers behind Tyler.
“That said, I’m going to ask you to have trust in me and these brave men who will be helping you. While we wait for the team from Fort Dix, we’re going to outfit each of you with safety harnesses and suspension belts. In a perfect world, we’d measure you for size and weight to fit your body type. We don’t have that luxury, so we have to come as close as we can without putting you in danger.”
“What do you think, Tyler?” asked Angela.
“My guess is they want to hook us up to a safety line to keep us from falling when the restraints are lifted. Then I’m assuming the squad from Fort Dix are experts at the kind of high-wire rescues you only see on television.”
“Is it safe?” she asked.
“Yeah, if the equipment is correct and we don’t panic. The last thing the rescue workers need is us flailing around and out of control. That puts us, and them, in danger.”
The chief continued. He used his flashlight to illuminate the entire coaster. He and the firefighter were counting heads and assessing body types. J.C. and Kaycee were the only children of their age on board. The rest were older teens and young adults. Ironically, the heaviest man riding on that evening had been the first to depart—to his death.
“Okay, young lady. The single rider outside your restraints. We’ll have a full-body harness for you. You’ll be the first extraction.”
“Why does she go first? I’m at the back. Take us off first!”
“Ma’am, I need you to relax,” the chief said in a calm, but firm tone. “This young lady has no protection at the moment. Besides, our teams will be able to use her vacated car as a base to stage this rescue operation. We will get to you as time and balance allows.”
Angela whispered to Tyler and asked, “Balance?”
He shrugged and squeezed her hand. Then he looked at the orientation of the coaster to the track. They’d just entered the two-hundred-seventy-degree twist.
“I would want to keep the weight forward, just in the event the brakes malfunction. The whiplash effect at the bottom will be less for us.”
Angela thought for a moment, then agreed. “Yeah, you’re right. The back end gets the worst of it. But, Tyler, that means the kids will be the last ones off the ride. Whatever happened to women and children first?”
“Let’s wait and see, okay?”
Angela’s palms were sweaty, a rare show of stress for her. She had nerves of steel, and although she was a genuinely loving person, showing her emotions through crying never happened except when happy. Tyler had never seen her cry from fear, stress, or out of anger.
The chief hollered up to his men, “Take the full-body harness first. Let’s remove the young lady in the middle car using the ropes and pulleys. The rest we’ll outfit with their harnesses and wait for the team from Fort Dix.”
A Class III full-body harness was designed to wrap over a person’s shoulders, around the waist, and around the upper legs for full-body support. They had multiple heavy-duty D-rings attached to them so they could be secured to a line at various angles to transport a person in a prone position or upright, as required. Class III industrial harnesses, like the ones available to workers at Six Flags, had one main connection point, as they were designed for fall protection. Rescue teams often had a more advanced design with multiple D-ring attachments.
“Young lady! Our men are in the process of climbing down the rail system of the ride. The steel supports are designed very much like a ladder. They are wearing body harnesses like the one you’re about to receive. My men will help you put it on, and we’ll go from there, okay?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Now, I want you to listen to one more thing,” continued the chief. “There will be one point of connection with our safety rope system. This type of harness is designed for maximum fall protection by offering even support throughout your body. If you become inverted, um, upside down, please do not panic. This is very important. The harness is designed so there is no risk of you sliding out. Okay?”
There was no answer at first, so Tyler offered a few encouraging words. “Hey, my name is Tyler. I’m a fire and rescue worker too. Can you hear me?”
“Yeah. I’m scared.”
Tyler could hear her sniffling and the fear in her voice. The man she came to the park with had flown forty-five stories to his death, and she was suffering from the trauma as well.
“I know, and that’s okay. The chief knows what he’s doing. I wouldn’t risk my family if I didn’t think it was safe. Follow the firefighter’s instructions, and above all, don’t panic, even if you turn upside down. They will control the rescue rope and get you to safety while the rest of us wait.”
“Um, thanks,” she said to Tyler before addressing the chief. “I’ll be okay. Tell them to come on.”
All the passengers sat patiently as the firefighters arrived at the back of the coaster. There were several gasps and screams as they climbed their way down the cars toward the one where the single rider remained cowered on the floor. With each movement, the coaster shook side to side as the weight distribution shifted, but thus far, there was no downward slippage, which suited Tyler just fine.
After the full-body harness was attached to the young woman, the rest of the passengers caught a glimpse of the rescue plan. With two heavy safety lines and hooks attached to the single D-ring on her harness, they slowly allowed her to swing away from the car and into the center of the Kingda Ka structure.
Initially, the woman screamed and then she vomited. But she never swung her arms and legs, as the chief had instructed. After the initial shock of floating forty-some stories above ground tethered to a rope wore off, she calmed down as the firefighters gently lowered her onto the platform next to the chief. He quickly assisted in removing her harness and gave her a bottle of water. Their conversation could be overheard by the remaining riders.
“Oh, god, thank you. I’m sorry I threw up on you.”
The chief laughed. “That’s okay, miss. It’s not the first time. I missed most of it. You did a great job.”
She then addressed the others who awaited their turn. She raised her voice so she could be heard. “You can do this, everybody. I threw up because that’s what I always do when I get scared. I really shouldn’t be riding roller coasters anyway.”
This drew a chuckle from the other passengers, the first time they’d had a light-hearted moment since they had become suspended, face down, on Kingda Ka.
Chapter Forty-Seven
Six Flags Great Adventure
Jackson, New Jersey
“Who’s Rankin, the firefighter?”
“First car!”
“You understand the harness options, right?”
“Yeah,” replied Tyler. “We’re not going to be able to go full harness because of the safety bar restraining us. The same applies to Class II seat harnesses. I just don’t know how we’d have the ability to maneuver in these cramped spaces.”
The Class II seat harnesses were designed similar to the full-body harness used on the other passenger except there were no shoulder straps. The smaller belts that wrapped around the wearer’s thighs worked to keep the wearer in an upright seated position.
> “Understood,” replied the firefighter. “Here’s our situation. All of this safety equipment is designed for workers here at the park. Ideally, we would have Class I body belts that could adjust to fit your children. Instead, we’ll have to try to work with suspension belts.”
Tyler took a deep breath and exhaled. He immediately recognized the issue. The Class I body belts could be easily adjusted to fit the smallest of bodies, even children. They also had D-rings at the front and back that could be attached to carabiners. The Class IV suspension belts were designed to be worn by workers who needed to create a work seat. They were typically not used as a fall-arrest system. Tyler was about to raise this point to the firefighter when the man spoke first.
He seemed to anticipate Tyler’s concerns. “This is not a long ride, and therefore the Class I isn’t necessarily needed. It’s important, however, for the passenger to hold on to the safety rope. Can your kids do that?”
Tyler leaned toward Angela and whispered, “Babe, if the kids freak out during the process, they could begin spinning and become inverted. Plus, the belts are designed for adult rescue personnel and construction workers.”
Angela thought for a moment. “Kaycee isn’t a problem. She’ll love it. J.C., however, is another story. Don’t they have another option?”
Tyler turned his body to speak with the firefighter. “Do you have a chest harness? We can tie my son off at two points of attachment. That will take the pressure off him to hold his body weight.”
The firefighters were silent for a moment, and then the firefighter responded, “No, we don’t. There is another option. I can retrieve the full-body harness from the first passenger, but we’ll have to release your safety bars before you can put him in it.”
The man’s words weighed heavily on Tyler’s mind. That meant for a brief period of time, J.C. would be tied off, but not totally secured until the transition could be made to the full-body harness. Plus, affixing his harness would have to be done by Kaycee with Tyler’s assistance from the side.
“What do you think?” asked Angela.
“It’s risky, and it puts a lot of responsibility on Kaycee. She’s tough, but there’s not much margin for error. The kids are in the front with no seat backs or raised safety bars to block their fall or give them a sense of comfort.”
“Agreed. Why don’t we just wait until—”
“Coleman!” shouted the chief from the platform below. “We’re 10-85. 10-77 unknown.”
“Dammit,” muttered Tyler, quickly deciphering their use of ten-codes. “The team from Fort Dix is delayed for some reason. He used the old ten-code system to communicate to the firefighter that they were standing down for now. Nowadays, we all use plain speak when communicating.”
“Why?”
“He doesn’t want to panic anyone. The rescue team from Fort Dix isn’t coming.”
Angela sighed and turned her body toward him. “Do you think they can take everyone off the way they did with that girl?”
Tyler shrugged. “Yeah, if none of them freak out.”
“I know it’s risky, but the longer this goes on, the worse it will be on the kids.”
Tyler chuckled. “Honestly, it’s the adults I’m worried about. They’re losing it more than our two warriors up there.”
“Tell the chief,” said Angela with conviction.
“Chief, it’s Rankin again. I think we have a pretty strong-willed group up here who are ready to set their feet on the ground. Am I right?”
Several of the stuck passengers chimed in.
“You bet!”
“Hell yeah!”
“There you have it, Chief. We have confidence in your people. And I’m here to help any way I can. Let’s do this!”
The chief and his men were discussing the logistics, and then he hollered up to the two firefighters who now occupied the empty coaster car.
“Okay, gentlemen. Get everyone outfitted and strapped in tight. We’ll send the full harness and a suspension belt to the young man in the front row. First thing we’ll do is make sure everybody’s equipment is properly outfitted and secured. Then we’ll tether you with safety ropes to the coaster for added security. After that, one at a time, we’ll get you down.”
“Yessir, chief,” responded one of the firefighters.
They quickly sprang into action. Once again, the coaster wobbled on Kingda Ka’s rails, causing a few gasps, but after the first time that happened, nobody screamed. The firefighters moved systematically through the cars until everyone had their gear. It was checked for both safety and comfort to allow for an extended period of suspension without the risk of cutting off circulation during the drop.
As Tyler predicted, the process started at the rear of the coaster. One car at a time, the safety bar was manually released, a task that required the firefighter to climb down the coaster’s rail and crank a lever on the undercarriage of the car. As the safety bars opened with a loud pop, gravity immediately pulled the riders forward within the car. They were instructed to use the seat in front of them to support their weight while the firefighters affixed the safety rope and swung them to safety.
The deliberate process took ten to fifteen minutes per passenger, raising the anxiety levels of the remaining passengers in the first two cars. In addition, the temperatures began to plummet as a cold front moved through the east coast. The combination of the colder temps, a slight breeze, and the inability to move in the cramped space caused the children to begin shaking.
Angela noticed it first. “Are you guys all right up there?”
“It’s cold, Mom. We’re tough, right, kiddo?” Kaycee genuinely loved her younger brother although, as was typical, she had a tendency to pick on him because she could. It was never mean-spirited. Eventually, she assumed J.C. would turn the tables on her.
“Yeah, I’m tough,” added J.C. “I’m really cold, but I’m not scared.”
The firefighters began to assist the passengers in the car behind them. Tyler came to admire the young girls, who had screamed louder during the ride than when their lives were truly in danger. Somehow, the death of the other passengers reminded them they still had a chance to escape this nightmare.
The firefighter who had conversed with Tyler earlier finally appeared next to Tyler and J.C.’s side of the car. He tried to insert some humor into the tense situation. “Rankin, party of four?”
Angela and Tyler got a chuckle from his lighthearted attempt to calm their nerves. Angela replied on behalf of the family, “Yes, that would be us. We had reservations to eat down there somewhere.”
“I take it you’re ready to get out of here?”
“Yeah! Let’s go!” shouted Kaycee.
Chapter Forty-Eight
Six Flags Great Adventure
Jackson, New Jersey
Kaycee Rankin lived for this adrenaline rush, her younger brother, J.C., not so much. He was a feet-firmly-planted-on-the-ground kinda kid. Tyler and Angela would lay in bed on those rare occasions when their schedules permitted, and talked about what their kids would be doing when they grew up.
Tyler was firmly convinced Kaycee would grow up to play football. The first time he suggested she could get a scholarship to a Southeastern Conference school like South Carolina, Angela slugged him. He recalled the conversation they’d had.
“My daughter is not gonna be one of those bikini babes during the Super Bowl halftime show on some crappy cable network.”
Tyler always thought that was ironic because his wife previously made a living as a fitness model, which required her to wear swimwear for photo shoots. But it was natural for a mother to hope for something different for her daughter. Just the same, playing football wasn’t what she had in mind.
As for J.C., he was still too young to have a plan set for his life. One thing for certain, he had the ability to be witty and a real charmer—even to the point of being manipulative. He could convince anyone of anything, eventually convincing himself in the process.
Afte
r Kaycee’s accident, Tyler and Angela didn’t realize how much love was showered upon their daughter to the detriment of J.C. During those formative years, it had somewhat of an impact on J.C.’s mental wellness. As a result, Tyler and Angela tried to focus on doing things that were of interest to him, including this trip.
They often referred to their son as the president-in-training. He loved the theatrics of political campaigns in particular. While Kaycee would be in one room watching sporting events, J.C. would be in the other, watching replays of powerful political speeches. If the truth were known, the youngster knew more about politics than Tyler did.
When he began to show a strong interest in history, especially as it related to America’s founding, Tyler and Angela promised a trip to historic places related to the War for Independence and the creation of the United States.
He was truly in his element during the trip, pointing out certain factoids to the family as they visited Boston. He told the story of Paul Revere to his sister and the importance of the Liberty Tree. Much to Tyler’s surprise, J.C. was well versed in the history of the Loyal Nine and the subsequent Sons of Liberty.
As J.C. was explaining the backstory during the family’s stroll through Boston Common, the two adoring parents asked each other twice how old their son was.
“He’s like a history book in a child’s body,” Angela had remarked as J.C. went on and on about the Boston Tea Party and other major events that had occurred in Boston.
The firefighter finished attaching everyone’s harnesses, and then he turned his attention to Tyler.
“I need you guys to brace yourself and be prepared when the safety bar lifts. For hours, you’ve grown accustomed to it holding you back. Your body is not used to the gravity pull that you’ll feel at this altitude.”
“Won’t the ropes help?” asked Angela.
“Yes, but everyone needs to be ready to hold themselves in place. Understand?”