KS - Caleb Schwab, 10, dies on 17-story Schlitterbahn waterpark slide, Aug 2016

[Everyday Grace]

Is he 10 or 12?


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10

Initial reports erroneously stated his age as 12.

 

[Dockins]

From the link:

"The 2 boys were weighed on a scale at the bottom of the tower and again on a scale at the top of the tower.

The 2 brothers could not ride the raft together with a 3rd person because the combined weight of all 3 riders didn’t meet the specified 400 lb. minimum.

So Nate went down the water slide first with 2 adult strangers.

Then it was Caleb’s turn."

(As an aside: not sure why a news article doesn't spell out the number words....first I've seen that.)

Maybe it just me, but I cannot see how that ride always has at least 400 lbs worth of people in it with just three riders. I know we have an obesity epidemic, but I doubt a lot of bigger people are climbing those stairs just to help balance the weight that would be necessary for each raft to fit the min. Requirements. The three adults in my house would barely cover it, how do kids ever ride? I just don't see it happening with all the tweets and teenagers who frequent water parks. I've been on a lot of high water slides that have stairs, and its a hike especially in the heat. Not buying it that they always stuck to their requirements.

 

[Inthedetails]

10

Initial reports erroneously stated his age as 12.

Poor little guy. I'm sure he was looking forward to bragging rights of having gone down that slide on his summer vacation.

This case is too sad.

 

[Everyday Grace]

An Olathe soccer team is mourning the loss of one of its own, after 10-year-old Caleb Schwab was killed on the world’s tallest water slide at Schlitterbahn Sunday.

hose who knew Caleb best say sports were his passion.

“Full of life, loved baseball, basketball, soccer,” said Clint Sprague, Caleb’s pastor. “He was always doing something.”

“The kids who knew him really well were talking about it all day with their parents and it`s a struggle,” he [soccer coach] said. “I can't imagine ever. I feel really sorry for the parents – they`re great people. It`s unfortunate for them.”

It’s a sudden loss that's hitting Caleb’s team hard.

“I don’t think they fully know what’s going on,” Stotts said of possibly having to explain Caleb’s absence to the other kids on the team.

Caleb also played baseball for the Kansas City Mudcats.

http://fox4kc.com/2016/08/09/teamma...oy-who-loved-sports-and-was-a-natural-leader/

Visitation for Caleb will be Thursday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at LifeMission Church in Olathe. A memorial service is set for Friday at 2 p.m.

Caleb was set to start another year at the Heritage Christian Academy. Administrators told 41 Action News he attended the elementary school at their Overland Park campus.

41 Action News spoke to Rick Lukianuk, the chief administrator at Heritage Christian Academy. He said, "When I see a little gap and I look at that class, what would be the 5th grade class now, and don't see his face in there it'll hit me more."

Honesty, integrity and joy were the words used to describe Caleb by his teachers at the school. Lukianuk said he was a natural leader who set the example for others. "The school's a better place, we're a better place because Caleb was here," he added.

http://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/community-remembers-10-year-old-caleb-schwab

 

[Everyday Grace]

Two northwest Kansas women injured in the accident at Schlitterbahn water park that killed Caleb Schwab, 10, are back home and recovering emotionally and physically.

The women are sisters from a small town near the Nebraska-Kansas state line. The husband of one of the women told FOX 4 and The Hays Daily News that they are not yet comfortable about describing the accident.

The two women were grouped in a raft with Caleb. They were on vacation in Kansas City on Sunday.

Both women were taken to a local hospital with injuries after the accident, where they remained for four to five hours, and left with instructions to see a specialist.

For now, they wish to remain anonymous.

http://fox4kc.com/2016/08/09/two-wo...b-not-ready-to-talk-about-what-they-remember/

He said his wife needed eight stitches in her chin and suffered a broken jaw. They were planning to go to a specialist in Nebraska tomorrow to see if the jaw needed wired shut or left alone to heal on its own.

His sister-in-law needed five stitches above her left eye and had bruising on her eyeball, as well as a fracture under her eye.

He said the incident has taken a physical and emotional toll on the women, but they’ve received ample amounts of support from the small town where they live.

http://www.hdnews.net/news/local/nw...cle_d67c8cb9-8f08-5d27-86fd-36895a239e2a.html

 

[Tssiemer]

I just did some math. If he was 70 lbs then the girls would each have to weigh 165 to reach 400 lbs. Since we know it was UNDER 400 I assume the girls were probably 120 to 130. Meaning it was probably arouns 100 lbs lighter.


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[KaaBoom]

Not forgetting velcro isn't great at sticking when wet what were they thinking? Cost saving I'd guess.

"A Kansas lawmaker is calling for closer regulation of water park rides after boy, 10, was 'decapitated' when thrown from a waterslide's raft.

Caleb Schwab, son of Kansas State Rep. Scott Schwab, died on Sunday while riding the 168-foot-high Verrückt slide at Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City.

Since the youngster's tragic death, multiple people have come forward to share their terrifying close calls on the ride after they the waterslide's safety straps malfunctioned.

Now Kansas Senator David Haley is demanding better regulation of amusement parks in the state to keep the public safe."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-complaints-surface-ride-s-safety-straps.html

I have a feeling that free admission elected officials day, is going to be canceled next year.

 

[Inthedetails]

http://fox4kc.com/2016/08/09/two-wo...b-not-ready-to-talk-about-what-they-remember/


http://www.hdnews.net/news/local/nw...cle_d67c8cb9-8f08-5d27-86fd-36895a239e2a.html

For not being a "family ride," the ride sure has harmed a couple of families.

I do take comfort that the women were sisters - I hope their bond will be a comfort to them as well.

 

[KaaBoom]

I keep seeing people say this, but I can't see how the fact that he was a State Rep's son could have anything to do with him being allowed on the ride. How would they know? Would you recognize your State Rep's children? I know I wouldn't. I doubt the kid went up and stated who his father was and I doubt that would influence the decision of the young people who usually work these rides whether they believed him or not. I also seriously doubt his father made a special call or visit to tell them to disregard the rules and allow his son on a ride that could potentially be dangerous.

He probably had on a special colored wrist band, and the employees would have been told to be nice to the VIPs. Because they are the ones who allow the park to stay open with no regulations.

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Maybe it just me, but I cannot see how that ride always has at least 400 lbs worth of people in it with just three riders. I know we have an obesity epidemic, but I doubt a lot of bigger people are climbing those stairs just to help balance the weight that would be necessary for each raft to fit the min. Requirements. The three adults in my house would barely cover it, how do kids ever ride? I just don't see it happening with all the tweets and teenagers who frequent water parks. I've been on a lot of high water slides that have stairs, and its a hike especially in the heat. Not buying it that they always stuck to their requirements.

Totally agree.....there's no way each raft was filled to the 400 lbs capacity each time with only three riders. Good point.....if so, how would kids ever ride?

 

[Doghairrules]

Maybe it just me, but I cannot see how that ride always has at least 400 lbs worth of people in it with just three riders. I know we have an obesity epidemic, but I doubt a lot of bigger people are climbing those stairs just to help balance the weight that would be necessary for each raft to fit the min. Requirements. The three adults in my house would barely cover it, how do kids ever ride? I just don't see it happening with all the tweets and teenagers who frequent water parks. I've been on a lot of high water slides that have stairs, and its a hike especially in the heat. Not buying it that they always stuck to their requirements.

And also one of the earlier posts about ride requirements said overweight people were not allowed.


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[ecco]

It was mentioned before that the rafts have weights in them.

 

[Inthedetails]

It was mentioned before that the rafts have weights in them.

That's been on my mind. Why not have some way to increase the weights in the raft if a trio doesn't weigh enough? Seems like that would be do-able.

 

[RainCheck]

I too cannot wrap my mind around how many people were involved in this project and no one put their foot down about using velcro for the safety harness!
I wish this was a criminal investigation... IMO, it should be as basic safety measures were compromised to get the project open and running after continued delays. I see this as more than negligent, rather a blatant disregard of human safety.
Depraved Heart Murder

In a depraved-heart murder, defendants commit an act even though they know their act runs an unusually high risk of causing death or serious bodily harm to someone else.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depraved-heart_murder
http://www.duhaime.org/LegalDictionary/D/DepravedHeartMurder.aspx

I assume even in a civil matter the Plaintiff (Caleb's family) will be able to subpoena internal emails, memos, all safety reports/recommendations etc. I just hope there isn't a lot of shredding going on right now. Someone had to have questioned the use of Velcro as a "safety" harness. It does not take an engineer to know Velcro is not an adequate material to pass as a safety measure.
It actually kind of blows my mind.

The reason heavy duty Velcro was used as a restraint was to lessen the chance of the riders drowning. There is a chance the raft may flip over into the large water pool at the bottom. Traditional locking restrains would be very difficult to unhook under water for the riders or emergency personnel trying to free a drowning rider. The Velcro could be ripped open much more easily allowing the riders to free themselves and swim to safety. Velcro is obviously not as safe as a traditional 5 point harness or some other type of harness with an additional locking bar, but the greatest risk on large water ride is usually drowning. The Velcro restraints were designed to prevent drowning.

 

[Hatfield]

I just did some math. If he was 70 lbs then the girls would each have to weigh 165 to reach 400 lbs. Since we know it was UNDER 400 I assume the girls were probably 120 to 130. Meaning it was probably arouns 100 lbs lighter.


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If it was too light, I have to wonder if maybe the front end of the raft got air under it and maybe it lifted up and got the boy high enough to where he scraped the netting and tore him loose from his seat.

 

[Inthedetails]

If it was too light, I have to wonder if maybe the front end of the raft got air under it and maybe it lifted up and got the boy high enough to where he scraped the netting and tore him loose from his seat.

I'm not knowledgeable about physics, but it seems to me that having the lightest person in front, which appears to be the policy, makes it more likely for the raft to be lifted. Why not put a heavy person in front, with the lightest in the middle? If you know, please clue me in!

 

[MsArk]

The reason heavy duty Velcro was used as a restraint was to lessen the chance of the riders drowning. There is a chance the raft may flip over into the large water pool at the bottom. Traditional locking restrains would be very difficult to unhook under water for the riders or emergency personnel trying to free a drowning rider. The Velcro could be ripped open much more easily allowing the riders to free themselves and swim to safety. Velcro is obviously not as safe as a traditional 5 point harness or some other type of harness with an additional locking bar, but the greatest risk on large water ride is usually drowning. The Velcro restraints were designed to prevent drowning.

BBM---
It makes complete sense that a more traditional type harness would not allow a rider to get free if the raft flipped over.... But I'm not sure if the greatest risk on this particular water ride is drowning. Seems like the biggest risk here is passengers flying out of their seats, as evidenced by early video. Does not appear the major modifications and the addition of the netting. which delayed the opening of the slide, were very effective.
Again, I say ego and profit clouded a lot of judgement in the design and ultimate approval of the world's tallest water slide.
JMO

 

[Hatfield]

I'm not knowledgeable about physics, but it seems to me that having the lightest person in front, which appears to be the policy, makes it more likely for the raft to be lifted. Why not put a heavy person in front, with the lightest in the middle? If you know, please clue me in!

I was thinking the same thing as you if that is what ended up happening.

Either the front end of the thing lifted up or he was shotgunned out of his seat. Either way it seems not a good idea to have the lightest person in front.

 

[Hatfield]

Ive been trying to figure out a way to make this ride safe and I think I may have thought of a way to do it that would keep everyone safe.

First off, get rid of the darn netting which is what caused problems in this accident. And instead of that what they should do is run a thick cable on each side of the slide all the way up and down the slide on both sides. Have the cable run about 3 foot outside the sides of the slide so people cant touch the cable. Then attach eye hooks to the raft itself and thread them through the cables on both sides. That way if the raft begins to lift up the cable will keep the raft down where its supposed to be.

The eye hooks would look something like this below

---------O

on each side of the raft. And the cabling would run through them.

A fairly simple fix to get rid of the netting and make sure the raft stays down.

 

[Inthedetails]

Ive been trying to figure out a way to make this ride safe and I think I may have thought of a way to do it that would keep everyone safe.

First off, get rid of the darn netting which is what caused problems in this accident. And instead of that what they should do is run a thick cable on each side of the slide all the way up and down the slide on both sides. Have the cable run about 3 foot outside the sides of the slide so people cant touch the cable. Then attach eye hooks to the raft itself and thread them through the cables on both sides. That way if the raft begins to lift up the cable will keep the raft down where its supposed to be.

The eye hooks would look something like this below

---------O

on each side of the raft. And the cabling would run through them.

A fairly simple fix to get rid of the netting and make sure the raft stays down.

Sounds like a plan. I wonder, though, if the fast acceleration and sharp incline would mean that any cable and rings would provide drag and pull on the raft??

Again, I'm not knowledgeable with physics or mechanics....just trying to visualize it in action.

Good thinking, though. This ride clearly needs improvement (or demolition as I'd prefer).

jmo