Inflatable structures like bounce houses and moonwalks are popular attractions at children’s birthday parties and summer carnivals. However, these fun-filled inflatables can quickly turn dangerous when strong winds are involved—a harsh lesson several families learned this year.
Chaos erupted at an Alabama work picnic last Saturday when a severe thunderstorm’s strong winds sent an inflatable slide flying through the air. Families scrambled for cover as the unexpected event unfolded.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” recalled witness Joshua Cofield. “It was a shocking, freak accident. I couldn’t see the bounce house from where I was standing, but when it came into view, I was completely taken aback.”
Cofield and other witnesses reported that the two inflatables that were toppled by the storm had been secured with four to six stakes each. Unfortunately, even that wasn’t enough to prevent the disaster.
Experts from Weather to Bounce, a safety group specializing in inflatable structures, emphasize the importance of using firmly planted stakes along with sandbags to weigh down all inflatables.
Saturday’s incident is just one of many weather-related accidents involving inflatables, which can lead to severe injuries or even fatalities.
In April, a tragic incident in Casa Grande, Arizona, claimed the life of a 2-year-old child when a bounce house was carried away by the wind, landing in a neighboring lot. Another child was injured in the same accident.
That same month in Victorville, California, a family experienced a terrifying ordeal when a dust devil formed in their backyard, sending a bounce house soaring into the air as children played nearby.
“It was incredibly dangerous,” said homeowner Yvonne Iribe.
A study conducted by the University of Georgia found that wind-related bounce house accidents resulted in at least 479 injuries and 28 fatalities worldwide between 2000 and 2021, with numbers continuing to climb.
Wendy and Mitch Hammond know all too well the devastating impact of such accidents. In July 2019, their children Lizzy, Danny, and Abby attended a birthday party in Reno, Nevada, where an inflatable bounce house and slide were part of the festivities.
A sudden gust of wind lifted both inflatables into the air, trapping Lizzy, Danny, and the birthday boy inside the bounce house.
“It flew over me, and when I stood up, I saw the bounce house tangled in the power lines,” Wendy Hammond recounted.
The family desperately tried to bring the bounce house down.
“It was out of reach. The first responders arrived, but their ladder was too short,” she said. “We had to wait, all the while screaming up at the bounce house, trying to hear the kids.”
Rescuers eventually reached the children, and the boys were treated for minor injuries. Tragically, 9-year-old Lizzy did not survive.
“She suffered blunt force trauma to the spine,” Mitch Hammond explained. “We made the decision to put her on life support and donated her organs to help other children.”
Days later, Lizzy’s family and friends gathered for an emotional honor walk at the hospital to celebrate her life.
The Hammonds now run the Lizzy Hammond Foundation, advocating for legislative changes to improve inflatable safety. What brings them solace is knowing that Lizzy’s organs saved the lives of three other children.
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“I want her legacy to be that she saved three kids,” Mitch Hammond said. “She was a giver, right to the very end.”
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