Double Speak At Big Splash
Loretta Murphy, the “owner” of Big Splash Water Park in Tulsa on Monday agreed to an interview with KOTV to present her “side” of the story regarding the recent shut down for safety reasons of water slides at Big Splash.
Of the failure to replace rotten support beams discovered by state inspectors in December and discovered still rotten during a June 3rd follow up inspection which resulted in the state shutting down the attractions Murphy said:
“We had done many things in the park to provide what we felt like was additional safety to our patrons. And, it was a couple of items on the list that we missed. It was an overview on my part.”
Murphy went on to say:
“I would say it was just an oversight on my part. It’s my fault that I didn’t take it as serious as the Department of Labor did and I apologize for that.”
At least Murphy eventually managed to sort out the meaning and usage of “overview” and “oversight”, however her downplaying the seriousness of the inspectors findings is alarming.
Murphy also said:
“I think what we’re talking about today is a learning process for us. And, you know, there’s a saying shame on me if you have to tell me twice and that’s where we’re at.”
Murphy also indicated that she did not feel like the beams in question were weight bearing although she went ahead and replaced them after the state closed the slides.
Murphy’s statements above were part of the KOTV interview, the complete video of which is still available on the KOTV web site as part of the web version of the story at: Big Splash Owner Offers Apology.
Within that web report is a link to view the video of the interview.
A small portion that interview contains a “background shot” of a couple of the water slides at Big Splash. At approximately 2 minutes and 13 seconds into the video one will see a small portion of two water slides, one yellow in color and the other purple.
The timbers beneath the yellow slide are “old”, although according to the state inspection in adequate condition. The timbers beneath the purple slide appear “new” or at least a lot newer than the timbers under the yellow slide suggesting these are some of the timbers which the state required to be replaced.
Here’s a frame grab from the KOTV report, showing portions of the two water slides and the timbers supporting them.
Do those “new” timbers underneath the purple water slide appear “weight bearing” to you?
They sure do to me and evidently to the state inspectors also.
Evidently they do not appear “weight bearing” to Loretta Murphy.
Or at least that is apparently what she hopes we believe…
