Standing on a platform next to the Dragon Wagon, state occupational safety inspector Shirley Noltemeyer runs her hands over each of the aging ride benches. The first one, covered in a turf-like material, is ripped, exposing a wooden seat underneath.

Noltemeyer takes note of it. Something to make sure the ride operator fixes on the small, elliptically-shaped coaster before the Sheboygan County Fair opens to the public two days later.

Although that particular finding isn't a life or death problem: "A sliver in the butt would not be a good thing," she said with a laugh.

Noltemeyer, 61, is one of five Department of Commerce inspectors charged with the safety of amusement rides. She's been on the job since 1986, inspected thousands of rides and knows every inch of a Tilt-a-Whirl or Sizzler.

Ride owners and experts praise the work Noltemeyer and the other inspectors do, but say there are too few in Wisconsin. Since 1989, the number of inspectors has gone from 10 to five, and the budget has decreased from $220,000 to $208,000 in the last 10 years, according to state records.

"We don't have enough inspectors. It really puts a strain on inspectors to get everything done," said Chuck Waterman, owner of Calkins Midways of Oshkosh.

Dan Barbacovi, owner of Spectrum Entertainment of Ironwood, Mich., said state inspectors are "very thorough" and don't give owners advance notice of their inspections. But he said, "I think they need more inspectors."

Limited staffing

Noltemeyer won't say whether the state needs more inspectors, but she admits that limited staffing prevents the state from checking rides the first time they operate in the state each year.

"No, we can't get to their first stop," she said in between inspecting rides run by Tip Top Shows at the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds. "There's only five of us. ... We just have to get to them as soon as we can."

Alan Larkee, owner of the Waupaca-based Tip Top Shows, said he has been operating in Wisconsin since May but this inspection, which took place over three days last week, is the first time many of the 24 rides at this fair have been looked at by state officials this year. The state inspected rides at a Tip Top Shows carnival earlier in the year, but only about 10 rides were up at the time, Larkee said.

"The way the program is set up, as long as you register, you can go about your business," he said. He added that the foreman of each of his rides conducts a daily inspection, which is required by the state.

Noltemeyer said the agency's ability to reinspect rides after violations are found "varies," but she said most operators fix problems immediately.

"The bottom line, what we want, is the ride fixed," she said. "You tell the owner right away. And I'll tell you, you tell them they've got something on the ride that they need to fix or they can't operate, they get real serious and they'll fix it."

She added that most problems are minor. "It's rare we find something that bad," she said.

Experienced inspectors

Noltemeyer opens up the trunk of her car to reveal big crates brimming with files labeled things like Hi Roller, Ferris Wheel, Scrambler: manufacturer's manuals on every ride. Noltemeyer and other inspectors rely on manufacturers recommendations and the state code to determine what condition rides should be in.

"We want it back to the way the manufacturer made it," Noltemeyer said of what she looks for during inspections. "That's what we're looking at."

Noltemeyer started working for the state as a fire prevention coordinator 42 years ago. She became a state occupational inspector in 1986. In this role, she's also responsible for worker's compensation accident investigations, public sector safety inspections, and ski lift inspections in the winter. But she predominantly spends from April to the end of September on ride inspections.

Training comes mostly on-the-job, although she's gone to a few seminars over the years conducted by the Amusement Industry Manufacturers and Suppliers International.

Greg Jones, administrator for Commerce's Safety and Buildings division, said Wisconsin's five inspectors are experienced — with the least experienced having inspected rides for 11 years.

Impromptu dance

Noltemeyer and Terry Clark, another inspector with the Department of Commerce, criss-cross the Sheboygan County Fairgrounds while the skies glower overhead, threatening the fair's setup with storms. Inspectors usually review carnivals in pairs because it improves the chance they won't miss anything, Noltemeyer said.

They need to look at all the rides before the show starts, while also allowing the workers to continue setting up. It's an impromptu dance. The inspectors look at the rides, tell the operators about needed repairs, then come back later in the day or the next to check whether things have been fixed. Before they leave, they try to watch each ride run.

For more significant problems that aren't repaired before they leave, the inspectors write up a list of violations.

Mostly, they just want rides to be safe and fun.

"I want them to be good because my grandchildren love to go on them," Noltemeyer said. "That's important. You bring it back to you want your family and friends and everyone else to be safe."

State Journal reporter Mark Pitsch contributed to this story.