It was a brisk fall day in Nashua, N.H. _ tailor-made for apple-picking and scarecrow-making at the Halloween festival at Sullivan Farm.
When a hayride dropped Danielle Rogers and her family near a colorful bounce house, her 3-year-old son, Joseph, and the 2-year-old son of a family friend climbed inside. Then came a gust of wind and, as Rogers screamed, the inflatable house lifted off the ground. She grabbed the rope attached to the corner, but the wind yanked it from her hands. The bounce house, and the boys, went sailing high into the October sky, like a giant balloon _ severely injuring the two boys.
Inflatable attractions like bounce houses, obstacle courses and slides, which have increased in popularity in recent decades, may seem less ominous than roller coasters that flip riders upside down or carnival rides that send thrill-seekers whirling through the open air. But they can be just as dangerous and they are far less regulated.
The estimated number of injuries on the attractions soared from 5,311 in 2003 to 17,377 in 2013, according to a Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) report analyzing U.S. hospital records. A Stateline analysis found that the trend continues, with an estimated 20,700 injuries last year.
Only half of states _ including New Hampshire _ have regulations governing permits, inspections and insurance. But even where rules are in place, a Stateline investigation found major shortcomings.
In several states that require all inflatables to be permitted, dozens of companies advertise inflatable rentals online, but do not have permits on file with the state. That means the state has no way of knowing if they have been properly inspected or are insured.
Few states scout for events where inflatables will be set up, or search online for company listings. When they find illegal operators, states rarely issue fines or fees. And in a few states, the regulating agencies don't have the authority to punish operators, even if they wanted to.
In addition, state laws about amusement rides are often unclear, leaving operators unsure about whether inflatables are regulated and what the penalties are for those who don't follow the rules.
In many of the states that regulate inflatables, officials say that they try the best they can. But some admit it's hard to manage.
"It's difficult sometimes because (operators) come and go quickly," said Denise Oxley, general counsel of the Department of Labor in Arkansas. "Unless they set up at a local fair or event, or they open a little play place for kids, it's hard to catch."
Even if the laws were better enforced, though, it wouldn't solve the safety issues that plague the industry, according to interviews with state officials, inspectors, insurance agents and operators.
Most injuries occur, they say, because operators are careless during setup, children aren't supervised, and guidelines for safe play aren't followed. But state laws focus on insurance and annual inspections _ not on training for operators or rules on supervision.
