Tulsa County Deputies Taking Proactive Approach To Fair Safety

Gates at the Tulsa State Fair opened Thursday. The fun is already in full swing and deputies are patrolling the fairgrounds to keep everyone safe.

Every year the number one call deputies get is lost kids, and this year they are focusing on ways to be proactive instead of reactive.

"We take a lot of effort on the front side planning before the fair, months in advance, looking at the things going on around the country at other state fairs, how the responders have reacted to them and plan for them on the front side," Captain Scott Dean said.

Deputies said they expect more than one million people to come to the fair over the next 11 days. With so many people, things are bound to happen.

"Little kid comes off a ride, mom and dad are wearing blue jeans and I think I'm following the right pair of blue jeans and, ‘Oh crap, it's not them,’" Dean said.

Deputies are handing out wristbands to parents so they can write their number on it and put it on their child so it's easier to find them.

"We just walked by and saw that they had them and I thought it was a really good idea because if your child does get separated then they have a phone number to call instead of just calling out the parents’ names or trying to figure out where the child's parents went to," parent Dax Allcorn said.

The rides, food and games are all fun, but deputies say keeping your children with you and watching your surroundings is an important part of having a good time.

"We always try to make sure they are in the stroller or holding our hands,” Allcorn said.

Another way to be proactive is to take a picture of your child when you get to the fair so deputies will know exactly who to look for.