“That’s a little bit of a gap I feel right now,” said Jacquot.
#Camp cheerio accident zip#
The state also doesn’t keep track of how many zip lines are operating across the state. happened in North Carolina back in 2006, when a 17-year-old Apex boy died from a fall at a church camp.īut WNCN Investigates found out no one officially keeps track of accidents and deaths. One of the first known zip lining deaths in the U.S. Jacquot says, when done right, zip lines are safe, especially when compared it to other active activities such as school athletics. He said in the past, insurance companies have helped put pressure on companies to build and operate zip lines according to accredited standards. Jacquot has been designing and building zip lines all over the world for years, and said state regulation is worth a discussion. “However as the industry expands and grows larger, my concern is that we don’t have everybody that’s necessarily following the standards,” he said. “The industry itself has done a very good job in North Carolina at self-regulating,” said Ken Jacquot president of Challenge Towers and former ACCT board member. The standards cover everything from construction materials to training.ĪCCT sells its standards and certifications to builders, but there is no enforcement.
Since 1993 it has gathered and set nationwide standards, accredited builders, and issued inspection certifications. The Association for Challenge Course Technology, or ACCT, has been writing the unofficial rule book. While the state has not been involved, the industry isn’t un-regulated. “The industry needs to take a hard look at itself,” Ozmore said. However, it would be inappropriate for me to be involved in a media story at this time out of respect to the family of Sanders Burney and Camp Cheerio.” Meanwhile, the YMCA of High Point has shut down all of its zip lines. I am very, very supportive of a story that tells the big picture about the safety of Challenge Courses. WNCN Investigates asked Inner Quest for an on-camera interview for our story, but Director Randy Smith declined, saying, “Thank you for your inquiry. The zip line was installed by Inner Quest, which is conducting its own investigation along with the local sheriff’s office. He said a third-party inspector who viewed the zip line after the accident said it was the first he had seen in his career. Ozmore said this zip line design is highly unique. “But the way the tether touched that second cable, the friction was just so severe it melted the tether.” “The tether is rated at 7,000 pounds you can put your car on that zip line and it would successfully make it to the other end,” Ozmore explained.