Safety at the Fair: Hydrate and hold onto your kids

Named America's fastest growing fair last year, the Alameda County Fair still remains one of the safest in the nation.  In fact, the things that make it dangerous are also the most avoidable, according to J.D. Nelson, spokesman for the Alameda County Sheriff's Department.

The sheriff's department, which supervises security inside the fair, offered two helpful pointers for fairgoers looking to avoid the common pitfalls that deputies see every year:

• Hydrate early, often:  The Tri-Valley doesn't get the Bay Area's coastal midday breeze and temperatures can hit the roof in the afternoon.  Nelson advises all fairgoers to watch their water intake.

"With the heat that comes out here, we can see people drying out and needing medical attention when all they needed was to have more water as they walked the grounds," Nelson said. "Or even worse, they dry out and simply don't enjoy the fair." 

Nelson added that alcohol consumption does not help hydration.

• Don't let children wander: Lost children can usually be found quickly but create some of the fair's most panicked situations, according to Nelson. 

"With all of the lights, booths and rides around the fair kids can be lured away from their families very easily," he said. "Keeping an eye on your youngsters can prevent parents from going through that panic of not knowing where your child is." 

One out of every 10 fairgoers is a child under 11, so Nelson suggests parents locate the many informational booths around the fair and designate one as a meeting area with their children in case of separation.

Even with the hundreds of thousands that pass through fairground gates each year, Nelson said, sheriff's deputies patrolling inside the fair rarely see trouble. 

Last year, the fair attracted about 430,000 attendees to the 267-acre lot.  The sheriff's department made 20 fair-related arrests during that 17-day fair.

"Considering the number of folks there are we have an easy time monitoring things," he said.

The sheriff's department collaborates with several agencies to supervise fair safety, including the Pleasanton Police Department, Alameda County Fire Department and fair staff and security, according to Nelson.  The Pleasanton Police Department contributes to fair safety by patrolling the area surrounding the fair, according to Sgt. Robert Leong. 

"The sheriff's department does a great job making sure problems inside the fair don't reach the outside," said Leong. "Our main effort is adjusting our staffing levels so we can have a few more patrols outside the fairgrounds."

Andrew Minillo, a 14-year-old Pleasanton resident, said he attended the fair since childhood and always enjoyed a safe family atmosphere.  He said his family plans to attend this year during the July 2 fireworks show.

"The huge number of people watching the fireworks, with the parking, lines and other stuff that comes with that, is overwhelming sometimes," he said. "But it's always been a fun family event."

Daniel Chau said he went to the fair for the first time last year and enjoyed the food most of all.

"It was a fun easy-going time and the food was some of the best fair food I've had," said Chau, a Berkeley resident who also said he was excited to see horseracing at this year's fair.