Saturday evening, the gondola skyliner ride connecting the Disney Caribbean Beach Resort to the Epcot theme park shut down stranding nearly 300 guests for approximately three hours. There were no injuries reported, and the Reedy Creek firefighters rescued people using high-rise ladder trucks.
“Reedy Creek firefighters are the primary first responders that assist the public with emergency services on Disney property,” said State Senator Victor Torres (D-Orlando). “The rescue of stranded guests from Saturday evening’s skyliner shutdown is the latest example of how vital their services are to visitors and guests on Disney property.
“Reedy Creek firefighters periodically negotiate their salary and benefits contract with the Board of Directors and for many years the Board has been reluctant to increase pay, staffing levels and purchase new updated equipment for the unit,” Torres said. “This incident demonstrates the real value Reedy Creek firefighters bring by enhancing public safety at Florida’s largest attended theme park, and I hope the Reedy Creek Board will invest in the personnel and resources needed to support these firefighters in the future.”
