mayor al

Right, Daved, and it wasn't a 'raise'. They went back and tallied the total hour you had worked during the Summer monthes, then issued a bonus uncentive of either a dime or .15 for each hour worked if you stayed on thru Labor Day. Of Course a large number of student-workers could not do that, and to leave before September to return to school. Bad for them and really hard on the workforce that remained and had to be shifted around to cover vacancies everywhere. I recall having a lot of overtime opportunities during those times of year, even though Security was less affected by the loss of younger workers.

Maybe some of you other old timers can clear up this "payroll issue" for me. I seem to recall that in the first season (or two?) the Park offered a reward (or bonus) of a small amount of cash (,15 cents per hour worked over the summer) to seasonal workers who stayed "on the payroll" through the September Labor Day Holiday weekend. If you terminated prior to the Holiday you weren't eligible...and permanent workers didn't get it either? I do remember a drastic change in the workforce from young workers to adults during that Labor Day Weekend and immediately after, in the stores, food stands and Ride Opns. Is my memory fogged on this, or was is a reality?

OK here's a photo that most folks would not add to a collection.. but needs to be a part of the overall employee relations scheme. Punching out early, even if your relief had come in and you were "done" was a "non-no". I got caught at it this time and here is the results. Don was a Shift Supervisor at the time, one of the original first season opening day officers. .

As part of the training programs that Management asked for during each off season, was a basic firearms safety and orientation course that included 8 hours of range time at the Jackson PD firing range. In reality, the range activity only happened once. We did include Firearms orientation and handling as part of the annual winter training sessions, but without live firing. That was designed more to make officers aware of the dangers presented by armed guests, This was in exchange for the use of the Park for a Police "SWAT" Training exercise on a winter weekend- speciffically a simulated hostage situation at an unknown (until the police arrived on the scene) location within the park. We used the Western Cable station and the other tower in the Fort as the bad-guy base, and Security people dressed the part of the bad-guys and victim hostages.. About twenty Ocean County Cops rolled in that Saturday morning responding to the call from the park (simulated) of a serious situation. It took several hours with no fatalities to end the problem then about 2 hours of debriefing and discussion using the Security/First Aid bldg for a classroom to resolve access and communications issues. All went well for that session The fireams Range training was narrowed to the Manager, and four selected lead officers. I was included only because I was already a certified firearms instructor and was on a first name basis with the Jackson Training Officer. We did our range time. The plan for training the rest of the department was denied at Upper Park leadership levels for reasons that varied from budget limits-to fear of flying bullets-to personal feelings about armed officers period.---all depending on who was giving the reasons and under what circumstances. The results were the same... other than the first brief orientation session, no attempt was made in the first five seasons to arm any of the regular Security Officers or Management personnel.

I hope we can find a First Season uniform photo. The white uniform shirt and black pants really did have the typical Mall Cop look. When we switched to the Tan and Brown with the Sheriff's hat, the whole image of the Department changed (for the good). When did the Park switch to the Blue with the Campaign Hats ?

I was thinking about starting a new thread for the first five seasons, to make room for what I hope will be chapters on the adventures of the folks in Security who labored thru the 80's, 90'a and 00's (what the hell do we call that decade anyway) But then I figured anyone else who comes on board can start their own, and I hope they will. Now, I have put in a couple of "serious" reports, dealing with serious accidents and injuries on the threads in RIDE OPS under the CABLE CARS and the RUNAWAY TRAIN. I won't duplicate those stories here, but urge my companions to locate and review my version of those incidents and add or repair any corrections needed.. I have noted the comments elsewhere about the use of metal detectors and increase security in the Main Gate area as the 80's came along. We saw that in our visits to 6Flags Magic.Mtn also. Thats pretty much what made us quit going to the 6F park in L A. In the earlier years we relied on the word of mouth from employees regarding armed guests. Often rest room attendants, tram crews, and park workers all over the place "Just happened to see" an exposed weapon...and called it in or mentioned it to a security officer. One of the Plainclothes officers from the shoplifter crew would be sent out to locate the target individual and follow them until they were in a quieter area where a uniformed officer would assist the first officer in asking the individual about his I D and if a cop his dept badge. I only was involved with this activity one time.. A tram driver reported a man with an ankle holstered revolver has entered the Park.with his family. One of the Internal Security guys was asked to go out to bring the guest back into the office, informally to meet with the Director.. Our guy was dressed very nicely that nite in what could be considered a "MIAMI VICE" outfit. Dark Suit and white tie, I was to follow in uniform as his back-up. After 12 hours on the clock, I was NOT neat, so I put on my winter jacket to cover my wrinkled uniform and tagged along (a cool fall evening.. We entered the Park just ast the guest entered the Men's rest room by the old main entrance and the tents. I went in, followed by our Don Johnson look alike. As the guest finished and was washing his hand Jim asked him politely, " Sir, Are you carrying a firearm in the Park tonight?" the guy looked at Jim, then over his shoulder at the Gorilla in the Security coat he saw directly behind him and slowly raised both hands and said very clearly.." I am a Jersey City Police Officer, I am required to carry a weapon when I am off duty, I have a snub 38 in my ankle holster" Do you want me to remove that weapon at this time." To which Jim said, "That won't be necessary if you will show me your I D and then accompany us to the Security office, my Boss would like to meet you." and off we went... The cop was impressed with the lengths we went to provide a safe environment for his family, and was very suprised to learn that we were NOT armed. Little did he know that the favorite command yelled by Patrolling officers charged with catching the fence-jumpers at night was--" STOP, OR I'LL CALL FOR ASSISTANCE !" and if the Officer was outnumbered as they usually were you might hear "I STOP, OR I''LL shit !! So much for armed intervention.

I need to ask about three train operation on the Runaway Train ride...so I am glad that I found this point in the thread where you guys have brought it up.. In 1977 I believe..could have be one year either side... there was an accident late in the evening on the Runaway Train. A train was delayed leaving the station and one coming into the station at the end of it's run ran into and up and over the back of the standing train. The third train in the cycle was stopped out over the water at one of the check points and the guest removed on the safety walkway...after some time had passed. Meantime our EMTs and JACKSON's First AID and FD had responded as we had about 30-35 injured guests and employees in the station area and the lead car of the incoming train still on top of the station train. Maint, Magment, Security, Ride Ops. all had people there, and as you know the staion rea is rather crowded with the crew and twenty five guests boarding a train..so the place was jammed. It was difficult to get to the injured, evaluate who was hurt, who was shook up, who was just in the way, and who was looking for a lawyers phone number. GA's Ambulance transported 3 injured guests and Jackson took the 2 most serious to Freehold Hospital,. a few others and some ride employees were treated at the Parks First Aid office for minor cuts or scrapes. Two guests were seriously injured..one had a broken back. and another lady had several broken bones and was very near giving birth. Once again piecing together the details was an all night interviewing and statement taking activity. One thing we learned that night was that our friends at the Jackson PD, FD, and First Aid, didn't know crap about the internal geography of the Park other than how to get to Security, Cash Controll (police), and the Main Gate. We had to provide guides to take them to the Train entrance via Gate 3 and the back road passed the arena. OK some of you old timers..were you there? or did you get the story from someone who was?? What can you add?

The error was not all the supervisors fault.. the mechanic had turned the key to the off position, BUT DID NOT REMOVE THE KEY as he was supposed to. He left it in the slot, so the unknowing 'other person' turned the key and hit the switch to start the wheel, thinking all was ok. It boiled down to worker-people cutting safety corners while reacting to managements cries for relief from crowd pressure.. with horrible results. I didn't work the walking posts in the Strawberry section of the Park at that time, I was in the office dispatching or on Motor patrol, but I do recall the guys coming in for days after (while all the cables were shut down for investigation) with long faces and not much chatter about 'happenings. at that end of the Park. It took a couple of weeks before things seemed to return to normal.

First Season -'74 We wore black pants could hsve been charcoal grey- a short-sleeve white uniform "cop" shirt with shoulder ephaletd , scaloped chest pockets and chest tabs for pinning on a badge and nametag. The hats were like the ones in the photo above my post, but were very light-weight with NO decoration at all. We wore Orange Operations Jackets at night and in bad weather No Patches or I D on the uniform other than the nametag. 2nd Season they went to a two tone tan with brown trim light weight Poplin shirt with a generic round G A patch , dark brown polyester pants and a straw hat like the one in the photo. Permanent Employees were issued heavier duty Stetson Hats. and long sleeved perma-press uniform shirts with the first real G A Security Patch on the shoulder. Jackets got better also...see my photos BTW- a personal note. In the photo of the group on the stairs just above this post of mine, on the bottom row, on the far left is Officer Mike Chueng, You had me identify him in your photo of the radion operator elsewhere on this forum

If any of you former employees have any feedback for me on my "stories from the past" please tack them on . My memory is at the 72 year mark with only a couple of return visits to GA aince we moved out of New Egypt, NJ in 1978. BTW I was the elected President of New Egypt;s Boad of Education from 1974-1977. We did have a grand send off though. I "Honcho'd" the Security detail for Krystal Gayle's two shows in the Thearter that night, then more or less wandered around the park for my last few hours saying goodbye to friends in other departments. It seems funny now, that I was not a Supervisor (pay-wise) but I had been used to do some interesting teaching/training jobs that involved other departments as well as Security.so I knew a lot of good folks around the area. I wrote the Parks first Emergency Evacuation Plan and Disaster Reaction Priority Plan (1975) for Ed Gadberry, and The Security Operations, Policies & Procedures Manual 1976 ..so Here I was talking with the "Suits" Larry Allen and Jim Ashworth, two of the BEST of the TEXANs in the Exec crew. down to some of Nickie Yanolleo's Knuckle-dragger Gorrillas on the Midnite Trash Pick-up crew ( they turned in more kids trying to stowaway in the Park overnight after we closed). Then it was down to the Corner House on 537 near Cookstown , one of the favorite late night gathering spots for employees for a celebration and to be the target of a "ROAST" Since some of my co-workers were pretty well shot. Larry Allen stood in the crowd and did a great Texas monolog about what that Texan group had found when they arrived at Gate 1 two years before with no one there to greet them but this slick-talking overweight gate-guard ( yep it was me)... and the Roast went on from there. So my friends, I have fond memories of the place. Larry Cochran personally interviewed me the day I left and wished me well in my return to college teaching as my career choice. I probably would not have survived the cutthroat politics of Management in the theme park business, but I had more fun and got more immediate results for my efforts in that job than in the public education systems I worked in later. I guess they would have felt funny having a security guard with Ed.S.. checking id's for a living !!

Yeah, I found humor in this character twice over.. FIRST- Larry Cochran was a Tall Thin Gentleman who lost most of his hair earlier than his arrival at Great Adventure. and SECOND- If that Cartoon Character isn't a copywrite infringement on "YOSEMITE SAM" from Warner Bro. Looney Tunes I would be very surprised. add- Nice to see my OBIT. in the News paper...hehehe my farewell address was included in that copy. AL Bowen

Thanks for posting the supporting evidence. 1. It's nice to know that my memories of some of these events did actually happen. 2. It is also nice to know that someone other than me is reading my rather slow and error filled "Tales from the Past" !

They got out of the Safari area into the Maint and Fire Department and stable area behind the Arena back in the 70's rather frequently. The Park joke was they were stealing tools and fuel to build a helicopter so as to fly a whole group to freedom. If they could get into the theme park... and they did quite often. It would be no big challenge to get out onto private property. Can any of you Safari Old Timers confirm any incidents of hunter/poachers shooting G A animals thru the fences with either firearms or archery. I recall some early morning motor patrols of the Safari fenceline in respnse to shots fired calls from the Safari folks. Did we ever actually have an incident occur ???

Butch was a character of major impact on G A that's for sure. Never at a los for words and willing to give his opinion even without being asked at times. Some of the more conservative 'organization suits' didn't think to much of his brash style, but that was their loss. He got things done. When I returned to GA in 1985 during the winter for a day;s visit He invited my friends and I up to the Tiger den to see the new Tiger cubs they had, and welcomed me back..mind you I was an hourly worker who had left the park 7 years before... yet he recalled at least my fist name and made me feel welcome as one of his own.

You Have all of mine, but don't forget to add in the chrome engraved No Logo pin-on name tag that was tried for a season (76 I think). I posted it, but not in with my other Security tags. Thanks for the heads up about them being on display in the actual Museum. They do make an interesting episode in Park Folklore. covered or not.

The vote is a mute point SF did take over- However, I did vote YES in the context of what the Park was like in 75-76. Warner LeRoy had a great imagination and could translate those dreams to blueprints nicely.. but often His blueprints and his imported English Management crew did not finalize some of the "Little Details" that typical theme park visitors in the USA tend to expect. A couple of simple examples. Soft Drinks- in the 70's that meant Coke (Pepsi) and a couple of other choices sold at every stand you could to meet the demand of 30,000 guests on a hot day. Dumping ice into the cup with the drink both chilled the beverage and increased the profits.. but what did the G A Planners decide in this issue.... they installed banks of vending machines to dispense 12 oz cans of soda at 40 cents a can (very high price in 1974) While this may have cut labor costs for the counter help in a foodstand, it created chaos for whoever had to stock those machines every hour and constantly empty the coin boxes. The crowds emptied the machines before the soda could get cold..even if it was pre-cooled in the warehouse, The cans were warm compared to iced cups. The front loading soda machines caused the employees to mix with irate guests as they loaded or unloaded the vending machines, and with not insult intended the warehouse crew were not hired to be 'Guest Relations Specialists"... There were many confrontations between workers and guests over change making and buying direct without "feeding the machines. These conflicts were the result of thinking small...Six Flags would never have let it happen. SECOND The guest parking lots were divided into 5 'sub-lots' screened by hedges and trees from each other, with only a couple of pass-thrus cut thru the woods. Literally Hundreds of guests would be unable to locate their cars late at night when they left the Park because they would go to the wrong sub-lot. Making things worse the lots were not paved, so any rain or other bad weather could make walking in the lots pretty tricky. It took over a year for the original owners to get the message and tear down the dividers and pave the whole thing into one big lot with painted lane markings and at least 10,000 traffic cones (sic) and still we had guest reporting lost cars each night. These issues would not have happened if a Pro Team of Developors had been able to translate Warner LeRoys Dreams to reality right from the start.

Somewhat related to that 'day-care' story... My son Jeremy who was 7 and 8 in 77 and 78 used to beg to come to the park with me on concert days, knowing I would go in early --7 AM and work thru till closing at Midnite or so.. He would stay in the office, out of the way until the Park opened, then go ride whatever rides he wanted to ride, He made friends with Alan Carpenter in the Arena Show and got to hang out in the stables with the trick riders for awhile. He had a real nack for working his way up the ride lines if they were long.,, He blended in with the families in line and just moved from group to group til he got to the front family, then asked them if he could ride with them, "Because his Dad was not willing to wait in line with him!" They always let him join their group. When he got tired He would turn himself in to "Lost Parents", enjoy one of their free ice cream cones or a cold drink then have them call me to come and get him. Jeremy, is 44 years old now an is still a con-man.

It sure didn't take kids and Parents living anywhere near Great Adventure to figure out that G A's Season Pass was about the cheapest Day-Care they could purchase for their kids. It wasn't long after the first of the seadon passes were sold that we started noticing cars coming in to the Main Gate area and dropping kids off as early as 7:30-8:00 AM on weekday mornings in the summer months. We had to have a foot patrol in the area to prevent vandalism and keep the kids "quiet" as the opening activities got started each day. Sometimes as many as thirty or forty 'pre-teen' kids, mainly boys, made up the group. One of our Seasonal Officers was a teacher in the Jackson Schools and was assigned to help keep thing settled down with the kids during the morning rush. The other side of that situation was that some of the kids ( ages 6-11) were really lonesome being stuck at GA by themselves all day every day. Officer Pete DeMatteo soon found that everywhere he went as he walked his shift in the Park, he had a group of kids tagging along talking to him like kids on a school playground. He always seemed to find a way to get some hot dogs for the few kids who showed up without lunch money. He went home at 4 PM daily, and we would see the kids sitting out by the tram pick up wait for their rides at about 6 PM five days a week. Great Parenthood...

AN EXAMPLE OF THEIR WORK IN 1978 ! ONE OF MY "SO LONG" GIFTS.