SANDUSKY, Ohio -
Last night, severe weather took aim at Cedar Point. But thanks to a new certification the park was ready for it.
Cedar Point is now the first commercial site in Ohio to become Storm Ready certified.
Basically, that means it is ready for any type of weather situation and it came in handy over the weekend.
On any given day, thousands of people pack Cedar Point looking for thrills, but sometimes Mother Nature gets in the way. On Sunday, severe storms tore through Sandusky and put staff there to the test.
Annie Zelm from Cedar Point says, "We have Lake Erie and the Sandusky Bay right here so we've done a number of things to make sure we're extra prepared."
The center of it all, is the Cedar Point Police Department. It's where officers always have their eyes on the sky.
Sgt. Ron Gilson says, "Obviously you watch the weather as the clouds come in and we pick it up on the radar." The department uses, not one, but two radars to track the storms. "It shows the park really well. A closer view to cedar point."
They even use security cameras to monitor the current conditions.
"You never know when things are going to pop," Gilson says.
When severe weather is on the way, authorities send out a digital alert that can be heard across the park urging everyone to take cover. Many of the park's restaurants, restrooms and arcades serve the same purpose and are marked to direct guests where to go.
Zelm says the procedures were put into place over the weekend. "We knew to issue an all-park digital alert. We had a tornado warning."
Cedar Point staff say these steps and many more are what help keep thousands of people safe every summer. Because when you head to Cedar Point it should be about fun.
The park also has trained storm spotters that are there at any given time watching the weather. They also special instruments to clock wind speed and track lightning to ensure that everyone will stay safe.
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