BIOGRAPHY

Randy King, MS, CSP

Randy King’s safety experience spans more than 25 years in the amusement industry. He has held several positions in the industry including Medical Administrator for Medcor, Inc.; Safety and Risk Manager at Six Flags AstroWorld/WaterWorld; Director, Safety Risk Management at Six Flags Theme Parks, Inc.; Director of Operations for Medcor, Inc.; Director of Safety and Risk Management at PARC Management; and he has served as a consultant in the amusement industry through his own companies, Theme Park Safety Consulting, Entertainment Safety Solutions, and SASI Consulting.

Mr. King began his career in the amusement industry in 1985 at Six Flags Astroworld/Waterworld in Houston, Texas as a paramedic for Medcor, Inc.  He was promoted to Medical Administrator in 1986 to open and operate medical services for then new Fame City amusement and water park facility.  While there, he co-created with, Ellis and Associates, a life saving “in the water”  spinal immobilization technique to safely immobilize and turn a facedown injured swimmer.  This technique is still used today in aquatics spinal immobilization.  In 1987, Mr. King moved to St. Louis, Missouri to operate medical services at Six Flags Over Mid-America.  In 1988, Mr. King received Medcor, Inc.’s Outstanding Performance Award for reducing Workers’ Compensation claims by 45% and creating the company’s first risk management information system.  Mr. King returned to Houston in 1989 to operate medical services at Six Flags Astroworld/Waterworld.

In 1990, Six Flags invited Mr. King to join their team as Safety and Risk Manager.  While serving in this position Mr. King authored the company’s first written safety manual and created Safety Leadership Training for management and supervisors.  He also used his combined experience in treating injured patrons of amusement parks and accident investigations to change operational and maintenance procedures to greatly reduce losses due to employee and patron injuries.  In 1994, he created Safe Behavior Sampling for Amusement Rides.  This process is used to identify and measure critical ride operator behaviors required for the safe operation of amusement rides.  The process also quantifies “at risk” (or unwanted) behaviors that lead to amusement ride accidents that cause injuries to operators and patrons.  Using this process and other safety improvement strategies, general liability (patron) claims were reduced by 30%.  Mr. King received Six Flags Theme Park’s “Quality Innovation and Growth” Award in 1994 for reducing losses due to injuries.

In 1995 Mr. King was promoted to Corporate Director of Safety and Risk Management for Six Flags Theme Parks.  While here he employed his previously successful safety improvement strategies and reduced patron injuries company wide by 40% and employee injuries by 25%.

Mr. King left Six Flags in 1998 after a corporate buyout and returned to Medcor, Inc as Director of Operations.  While here he oversaw client operations at Universal Studios, Warner Brothers, Paramount Pictures, and the San Diego Zoo among numerous other clients.  Mr. King left Medcor in 1999 and began Theme Park Safety Consulting and has served as an amusement park safety expert since that time.

During 2003, Mr. King began negotiation to merge his business interests with a lifelong friend and former Six Flags co-worker, and in 2004 they co-created SASI Consulting, LLC.  While here Mr. King co-authored SASI’s Basic and Advanced Leadership trainings (inspired by Mr. King’s Safety Leadership Training) and delivered these trainings to thousands of amusement park management and supervisor team members.  He also spearheaded business turn around and improvement strategies for multiple amusement park clients; and oversaw amusement ride Safe Behavior Sampling processes for multiple amusement park clients.

During his tenure at SASI Consulting, Mr. King and his business partner further grew their business by writing FEMA and US Department of Education grants for Texas schools.  These grants allowed their school clients to improve school safety through Emergency Response and Crises Management training, Planning, Mitigation, Response, and Recovery strategies, Emergency Operations Planning, and school building safety and security auditing.  Mr. King has participated in more than two hundred school safety audits, assisted numerous school districts in writing and implementing Emergency Operations Plans, and has trained hundreds of school administrators in Emergency Response and Crises Management.  SASI Consulting was dissolved in 2008.

Having worked with amusement park client PARC Management for over a year, in 2008 PARC Management asked Mr. King to come on board with their company to focus full-time on creating a safety culture and resolving safety issues within the organization.  At the conclusion of the third year of working with PARC Management, patron injury claims were reduced by 79%, and employees injury claims were reduced by 29%.  Mr. King left PARC Management in 2010 and resumed operation of Theme Park Safety Consulting, LLC, and created its DBA Entertainment Safety Solutions, and continues operating both today.

Mr. King holds a Master of Science in Safety, Security, and Emergency Management from Eastern Kentucky University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Psychology and Development from American Intercontinental University; and certifications include; Certified Safety Professional by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals; the National Safety Council’s Advanced Safety Certificate; Certified Playground Safety Inspector; FEMA Certified Trainer in Emergency Response and Crises Management for Schools; and is an Authorized OSHA Outreach Trainer.

testimonials 4

“The safe behavior sampling process really allows an organization to zero in on existing critical at-risk behaviors that can lead to significant accidents and losses. I was fortunate enough to work with Randy during the development of this process which we used to identify potential weaknesses in conditions, methods, and administrative procedures that tend to cause certain at-risk behaviors. This approach really allows you to address root causes of at-risk behaviors before costly accidents occur.”

Bruce K. Lyon, CSP, PE, ARM

Dir. Casualty Loss Control

testimonials 3

In my 30+ years as a practicing trial attorney, I have had the good fortune to work with many talented safety professionals and human factors experts. I sincerely mean it when I say that Randy King is at the top of the pyramid of safety professionals and human factors experts.

Stephen F. Lazor, J.D.

Trial Attorney

testimonials 2

“I was quite fortunate to be able to use Randy as a gun safety theme park expert. He was always accessible, developed themes I had not necessarily considered, and tendered a quite readable and persuasive report in a case that presented challenges. I would not hesitate to recommend him.”

Frederick B. Polak

Attorney

testimonials 1

“I have known Randy King for several years and have worked with him closely to control risk and insurance costs for the amusement park industry. His knowledge and focus is extremely professional and I would recommend him to any operator/owner in this sector.”

Kevin McGrath

Senior Vice President, Willis