Indiana State Fair handles 1st thunderstorm under new procedures

DISCUSS

Comments Comment on this story

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana State Fair officials say they're happy with the first real test of their new emergency plan implemented after a stage collapse amid high winds killed seven people and injured dozens of others a year ago.

WISH-TV and WTHR-TV reports fair officials made five announcements warning fairgoers of dangerous approaching weather and to seek shelter indoors before a severe thunderstorm hit the fairgrounds Saturday afternoon.

Indiana State Fair spokesman Andy Klotz says new emergency procedures were successful in their first test.

New fair Chief Operations Officer David Shaw was on duty at the command center Saturday, along with a team of meteorologists monitoring the weather all day. Under a 425-page emergency management plan adopted in June, Shaw has the responsibility for postponing or canceling event amid threatening weather conditions.