Germany: Safety First! The EYE55 Ferris Wheel at Westfield Centro in Oberhausen

For years, the family-owned company MEYER Entertainment has been known as operator and rental company of a 55-meter-high Ferris wheel. Since fall 2019, the wheel has been spinning in Oberhausen under the name “EYE55”. Also this season, the wheel, which was supplied by Nauta Bussink (Netherlands), can be experienced by visitors at the Westfield Centro.

The fact that the issue of safety is also a top priority for Ferris wheel operators is demonstrated by a trial evacuation carried out last Sunday in Oberhausen. As part of the regular safety drills around the EYE55, 20 volunteer passengers were evacuated from the total of 42 gondolas of the Ferris Wheel. “It is extremely important to know your ride as well as possible,” said Thomas Meyer, current owner of the Ferris Wheel. “That’s where it helps to just simulate certain emergency situations.”

Under the supervision of Meyer’s son Hans and technician Luciano Borgo, the emergency was rehearsed. After the gondolas were occupied by the volunteers, the power was taken away, the brakes were released and the wheel was brought to a standstill. Then the actual evacuation began, with a team of six people bringing gondola after gondola back to the ground by muscle power and gravity. “[…] Such an exercise in empty operation would be possible, but not very helpful for us. We want to use it to ensure the safety of our guests. We can do that best if we simply act out a power failure,” explains Meyer.

Don’t miss our comprehensive story about Ferris wheel projects worldwide in EAP issue 6/2021. (eap)