A busy fairground filled with rides, animals, music and crowds can be exciting - but for parents, it can also be stressful if a child wanders away.
The Delaware County Fair has a lost child policy in place to quickly reunite families and keep children safe.
If a child becomes separated from a parent or guardian, visitors can report it at any fair building, the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, the EMS building, ticket offices, the secretary’s office or the box office.
Once a report is made, fair officials immediately begin a coordinated response. A code is sent over the radio, gates are secured, midway rides are stopped and staff members throughout the grounds begin searching.
Fair directors are stationed at each entrance to help ensure children remain safely on the fairgrounds while the search is underway. The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, fair directors and staff work together to locate the child.
Fair Board President Jason Craig said most situations are resolved quickly.
“Typically, we find a lost child within five minutes,” Craig said. “Most of the time, it’s the kid wandered off to go look at something, or mom said meet me right back here and they weren’t in the right spot.”
Parents can help by taking a quick photo of their child when they arrive. Photo stations are available at each gate, allowing families to capture what the child is wearing, their hairstyle and height at the start of the day.
That photo can provide valuable information if a child becomes separated.
Craig said the policy has been in place for many years and is designed to give families confidence while enjoying the fair.
“If their kid wanders off, it’s not just them looking for them,” Craig said. “We will mobilize a small army to find that child.”
