Incident Report: Fatality at Hersheypark and Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

A fatal incident occurred at the Hersheypark amusement park in Hershey, Pennsylvania, on July 24, 2025, resulting in the death of a 9-year-old child. The event took place at “The Boardwalk,” the park’s water attraction area. This report analyzes the incident through the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focusing on public health, corporate responsibility, and the provision of safe community spaces.

Analysis in the Context of SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

Failure to Ensure Visitor Safety

The death of a child represents a critical failure in upholding SDG 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. Despite an immediate rescue attempt by on-site lifeguards and subsequent transport to the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, the child was pronounced deceased. This outcome directly contravenes the goal’s target of reducing preventable deaths.

Public Health and Preventative Measures

The incident highlights the essential role of preventative safety measures in public recreational facilities as a component of public health. Hershey Entertainment has stated that its lifeguards undergo rigorous training; however, the tragedy necessitates a comprehensive review of all safety systems. Key components for ensuring public health and well-being in such venues include:

• Advanced and continuous training for all safety personnel.
• Regular, certified inspection and maintenance of all attractions and equipment.
• Clear and accessible communication of safety rules and potential risks to all guests.
• Effective and rapid emergency response protocols.

Corporate Responsibility and SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

Ensuring Safe Environments for Guests and Staff

This event underscores the corporate responsibility to maintain safe environments, a principle linked to SDG 8, particularly Target 8.8, which advocates for safe and secure working environments. While focused on a guest, the overall safety culture of an organization impacts both visitors and employees. The company’s commitment to lifeguard training, requiring a 24-hour class and monthly continued education, reflects an attempt to meet this standard. However, this incident, along with a previous fatal accident involving a 16-year-old employee in 1977, emphasizes the perpetual need for vigilance and improvement in operational safety to protect all individuals on-site.

Public Spaces and SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The Role of Recreational Facilities in Community Well-being

Amusement parks function as significant public spaces for recreation and social gathering. SDG 11, specifically Target 11.7, calls for universal access to safe, inclusive, and accessible public spaces. A fatality within such a space severely undermines this objective, raising critical questions about the management of inherent risks associated with recreational attractions.

Attraction Details and Potential Hazards

The Boardwalk section of Hersheypark, where the incident occurred, contains 16 distinct water attractions. The management of risks associated with these features is paramount for fulfilling the promise of a safe community space. Attractions include:

• The Shore: A 378,000-gallon wave pool with a depth of up to 6 feet.
• Whitecap Racer: The world’s longest mat racing slides.
• Various other slides and water features, each with unique safety considerations.

Institutional Response and SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

Commitment to Investigation and Accountability

In alignment with the principles of SDG 16, which promotes accountable and transparent institutions, Hershey Entertainment CEO John Lawn has pledged a thorough internal review and full cooperation with authorities. The statement, “your safety and well-being drive every decision we make,” signals a commitment to institutional accountability. A transparent investigation is a crucial first step toward justice for the victim’s family and restoring public trust.

Recommendations for Institutional Strengthening

To honor the memory of the deceased and prevent future tragedies, the following steps are recommended to strengthen institutional safety frameworks in line with SDG principles:

1. Conduct a fully transparent investigation involving both internal and independent external experts.
2. Review and enhance safety protocols, staffing levels, and emergency response plans across all park attractions.
3. Publicly report on the findings of the investigation and the corrective actions being implemented.
4. Collaborate with regulatory bodies and industry associations to advocate for and adopt the highest possible safety standards, contributing to safer recreational spaces globally.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article discusses issues related to health, safety, and well-being in both public and workplace settings, connecting directly to the following Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: This goal aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. The death of a 9-year-old child is a direct and tragic failure to ensure well-being and prevent a premature death. The article’s focus on the incident, the emergency response, and the park’s safety measures all fall under the purview of this goal.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: This goal includes the promotion of safe and secure working environments for all workers. The article is relevant to this SDG in two ways: it mentions the death of a 16-year-old employee in 1977, a clear workplace safety issue, and it discusses the training and responsibilities of the current lifeguards, whose working environment is critical to both their own and the public’s safety.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: This goal calls for making cities and human settlements, including public spaces, safe and sustainable. An amusement park like Hersheypark is a significant public space intended for recreation. The incident highlights a lapse in the safety of this space, particularly for children, which is a key concern of this SDG.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the issues discussed, the following specific targets can be identified:

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Target 3.d: “Strengthen the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks.” The incident at Hersheypark represents a localized health risk (drowning/accidental death). The park’s safety protocols, lifeguard training, and emergency response (“immediate rescue”) are all measures related to risk reduction and management. The company’s statement promising an “internal review” and to “fully cooperate with authorities” also relates to strengthening these capacities.

2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Target 8.8: “Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers…” This target is directly applicable to the historical incident mentioned in the article, where a “16-year-old working on the park’s… SooperdooperLooper, was fatally run over.” It also applies to the current context, as the safety of the lifeguards’ working environment and the adequacy of their training are central to preventing such tragedies.

3. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • Target 11.7: “By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities.” The death of a child in a public amusement park is a direct contradiction of this target’s aim to provide “safe… public spaces,” especially for children. The CEO’s statement, “your safety and well-being drive every decision we make,” underscores that ensuring the safety of this public space is a primary responsibility.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article contains information that can serve as direct or implied indicators for measuring progress:

1. For SDG 3 (Target 3.d)

   • Implied Indicator: Rate of accidental deaths in public recreational facilities. The article provides data for this by stating, “The tragic death is just the second attributed to an attraction at the century-old park.” This statistic measures the frequency of fatal incidents over time.
   • Implied Indicator: Existence and quality of emergency response protocols. The article describes the response actions: “lifeguards noticed a child was in distress… when they jumped to perform an ‘immediate rescue'” and the child was “rushed to the nearby Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.” This describes the presence and activation of an emergency plan.

2. For SDG 8 (Target 8.8)

   • Indicator 8.8.1: Frequency rates of fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries. The article provides a specific data point for this indicator by reporting the 1977 death of a 16-year-old employee who “was fatally run over when a coaster train was released as he worked on the track.”
   • Implied Indicator: Implementation of occupational health and safety training. The article explicitly mentions a measure for this: “Lifeguards employed by the park must complete a 24-hour class and maintain at least four hours of continued education per month of employment.” This quantifies the safety training provided to employees.

3. For SDG 11 (Target 11.7)

   • Implied Indicator: Number of fatalities or serious injuries occurring in public recreational spaces, particularly among vulnerable groups (children). The central event of the article, the death of a 9-year-old child, is a direct measure for this indicator, highlighting a failure to ensure the safety of a public space for children.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article. In this table, list the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), their corresponding targets, and the specific indicators identified in the article.

Source: nypost.com