More than 300,000 people are expected to descend on Sedalia, a town of about 22,000 people, in the coming days for the Missouri State Fair. Nearly a thousand people work at the fair — making delicious fried treats, operating carnival rides, running livestock shows and more.
So, what happens if something goes wrong?
That responsibility falls on the State Fair Volunteer Fire Department, an organization that is now in its 62nd year of service and provides fire response, emergency medical services and training opportunities for the volunteers that staff the department. Larry Eggen, the spokesperson for the fire department, has been volunteering for nearly 30 years. He said the department started in the Missouri Beef House in the 1960s providing fire education and information to fairgoers.