Falling at Sea World

[cstraub]

Posted this on Sea World thread but I wanted to make sure people saw this in case they don't read that board.............................

Woke up tonight and my mind wandered onto something I had forgotten for awhile.

When we visited Sea World (Orlando) on a rainy day this last November (2005) we saw a lady fall. She had slipped on the entrance to the bathroom floor near some shops and restraunts in the back of the park near the bridge you walk over to get to the Shamu show. It haunts me to this day. It was a horrible fall and the woman had an adult down syndrome daughter with her. The daughter started crying when the woman fell. It was just a terrible scene.

Prior to the woman falling I had taken my DD5 to the same bathroom and both of us almost slipped. My DD5 did but I was holding her hand and saved her from a potential fall. When I realized how slippery the surface was I went immediatley to one of the shops and told a woman working there. She was nice and attentive but blew me off. I really felt like someone was going to fall so I had the woman that was working in the shop come with me to see how people were slipping. While we were on our way that is when the woman slipped with the down sydrome daughter. I was just so upset and the woman working there went to go get help.

Security and first aid arrived. The whole time we waited for them I told people to watch the slippery floor. There were helathy grown men slipping and almost falling- every single one!!! I am not exagerating and it was a pretty busy day.

I made a comment to security that it was a very bad choice of flooring and he said if I had a complaint I should take it up with guest relations. He was very rude and never thanked me for bringing this to my attention. I got the impression that they thought I was trying to cause problems but in reality I was trying to save people from falling.

I just wonder if that floor is still there and if people fall all the time. It just kills me to think how this could really hurt someone and I am ashamed that I have not called guest relations as of yet. I vow to do it first thing tom moring. I just think of how a fall can change your life. My dad and my DD5 both suffered falls in 2005. My dad shattered his arm and was put in to a nursing home to recover for about a month (required surgery and had mobility issues already). My DD fell off of a slide and had a skull fracture and contusion. These experiences have been life changing for us.

I just hope the flooring has been changed and that no one else has been hurt.

I will update after I make the call to Sea World that is long overdue!

 

[jonestavern]

wow! thanks for warning us all.
do you have any idea how the woman fared?
You'd think the personel would be all over this, putting up caution signs, or perhaps traction sand.
You were so helpful & caring to try to warn them of a nasty situation, you really deserved a big 'Thank You',
I am sorry you weren't respectfully treated.
Hoping your Dad & DD are on the mend. My Dad slipped 2 months ago, breaking his ankle in 3 places. You're so right, a 'simple' fall can really wreak havoc

Jean

 

[PixieDust32]

OMG! How horrible. They should had put wet floor signs its the law and they can get in trouble for that. Not lots of people can get hurt bad.

At the DH's work (marriott hotel) and old lady had a fall at the pool area that was under repair, they had construction signs but not a wet floor signs, the company had a bad law suit and lost, just b/c of the wet floor warning signs, they paid big bucks to the lady.

 

[susan1]

hi
those slippery floors seem to have been at sea world forever. my husband saw a man take a nasty fall in the gents restrooms at least 10yrs ago

 

[cstraub]

Something really needs to be done if the floors continue to be hazardous. There is just no excuse for this.

I emailed them this morning. If I don't get a quick response I will call them. I really am tempted to go back this spring and just check it out.

I wonder how many people have fallen there just because of a stupid flooring choice?

 

[Chicago526]

Good for you for following up!!!! Falls are nothing to sneeze at, I've injured my neck from sliping and almost falling, by trying to save myself, I did something to my neck, it still hurts now and again all these years later (this was at my high school almost 12 years ago) so you don't even have to actually hit the ground to be hurt!

My grandmother slipped and fell at a K-Mart once, she broke her ankle (she was lucky it wasn't her hip!). The GM of the store was VERY concerned (both genuinely for her and profesionally because he didn't want to get sued) and worked VERY hard to make sure all her medical bills were paid for by the store. She had some trouble with corporate, so he just paid her bills out of the store budget and fought with corporate himself to have the store paid back.

Grandma wouldn't dream of sueing as long as the store paid her bills, they really got lucky the "right" little old lady slipped and fell, K-Mart could have had to shell out BIG bucks.

 

[cstraub]

Just passed a sign on our local firehouse (they change it monthly). It said 68% of Senior injuries are caused by falls.

Thought the timing of the sign going up was interesting.

 

[cstraub]

Thank you for contacting SeaWorld Orlando regarding your November 27, 2005 visit to the park. I want to thank you not only for your time but also for your concern.



I was sorry to hear that our crew members failed to exceed your expectations when you approached them to advise us of a slippery floor at one of our restrooms. I do believe the situation could have been handled better with a more positive outcome. I would like to assure you that your comments and concerns regarding the floors have been sent to the Park Services and Safety Departments for further review and to ensure that the proper attention has been given to this situation. The safety of all our guests is paramount and I appreciate you taking the time to contact us.



Again, thank you for your comments and concerns. We look forward to seeing you again.



Sincerely,



Van Rice

Vice President Operations

and Assistant General Manager

SeaWorld Orlando

 

[foolishmortal]

Why wouldn't you be happy?

It actually shows they read your comment as opposed to just seeing floors in bathroom and generating a generic response.

Also it shows that it went higher already then just to a cs rep, and it is going even higher than that as well.

I would be happy if that was a response to something I had wrote.

 

[RuddClan]

cstraub

You want to go back only to check the floors???

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I think it was a good response, however, I do think that you should plan a trip to Seaworld to check the floors. Of course you should also go to WDW and Universal to compare the flooring in all of the restrooms. We expect a full trip report when you return!

 

[cstraub]

I am actually planning a trip to WDW this April and may just go ahead and go over to Seaworld to check it out. I really feel that many people have probably already fallen between the time I was there and now. If in just the few moments I was in that area I saw a woman fall, almost fell myself along with DD and saw several people slip I can only imagine how many have been hurt. All it would take is a rainy day.

I think I will check it out. It may save someone a lot of heartache.

I have never noticed a problem at WDW and have never really looked at the flooring. If the floor had not been like a sheet of ice at Seaworld I would not have paid any attention to it. After seeing that women fall I will probably be a little more aware now.

 

[cstraub]

Why wouldn't you be happy?

It actually shows they read your comment as opposed to just seeing floors in bathroom and generating a generic response.

Also it shows that it went higher already then just to a cs rep, and it is going even higher than that as well.

I would be happy if that was a response to something I had wrote.

I have never written a letter like this before so I am unsure as to whether or not my letter was effective. Just wanted others opinions. I really don't want anyone else to get hurt from slipping. Thanks.

 

[cstraub]

I think it was a good response, however, I do think that you should plan a trip to Seaworld to check the floors. Of course you should also go to WDW and Universal to compare the flooring in all of the restrooms. We expect a full trip report when you return!

Forgive me if I am misinterpreting your post but it sounds like you are being very saractic.

I really don't see anything humorous about this happening. Did you read that my DD5 had a skull fracture and contusion from a fall last May? Did you also read that the woman we watched fall had a down syndrome child who was really upset by what happened not to mention that a women fell really hard and it probably ruined her vacation and who knows what injury she sustained. It's really sad to think that anyone could watch this happen and be aware of this problem and not take it seriously. I'm sorry I did not act sooner although I did bring it up while there I wish I would have followed up before now.

I'm always the first to help someone and I'm very thankful that I am that way. What may seem like small things can really effect others in big ways.

 

[MidNite]

You did the absolute right thing. I think following up is a noble idea. My aunt fell when she was in her 80's trying to pick up a newspaper that was thrown in the wrong place and she never recovered.

I think that letter was good, but it wouldn't hurt to take a peek and see if they did follow-up with it.

 

[LauraR]

Forgive me if I am misinterpreting your post but it sounds like you are being very saractic.

I really don't see anything humorous about this happening. Did you read that my DD5 had a skull fracture and contusion from a fall last May? Did you also read that the woman we watched fall had a down syndrome child who was really upset by what happened not to mention that a women fell really hard and it probably ruined her vacation and who knows what injury she sustained. It's really sad to think that anyone could watch this happen and be aware of this problem and not take it seriously. I'm sorry I did not act sooner although I did bring it up while there I wish I would have followed up before now.

I'm always the first to help someone and I'm very thankful that I am that way. What may seem like small things can really effect others in big ways.

Cstraub-I read Tigger&Belle's post differently. I think she only meant you could have some fun while following up on this. BTW, I applaud your efforts. People complain about too many lawsuits, but they are often the result of unresponsive management. Sounds like this problem has been around for awhile (at least 10 years according to a previous poster), and I have a hard time believing they could be unaware of it. My cousin just fell on her back and fractured a vertebrae, so I understand your concern over this.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Forgive me if I am misinterpreting your post but it sounds like you are being very saractic.

Oh please!!! Laura is right on the mark! After saying that I thought that the letter was a good response, I was then simply was saying that you should go check it out for yourself, along with making trip everywhere (joking, that's what the big smilie is for...). For goodness sakes, the last time I checked, this is a trip planning board.

I think I'm going to leave it at this since I keep typing and deleting.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

cstraub, I wanted to bump this to make sure that you saw my last post.

 

[momsully]

I am going to be at SeaWorld April 2nd. Which bathroom is it and I will check it out. I am actually meeting with the Sea World safety manager on Monday the 3rd so if it is something serious I would be glad to mention it to her.

 

[cstraub]

cstraub, I wanted to bump this to make sure that you saw my last post.

I saw it.