Over 250 runners were transported to area hospitals for treatment of heat related illnesses. Many of the medical emergencies reported occurred near 18th Street and Ashland Avenue, 15th Street and Ashland Avenue. There were reports of collapse, seizures and at least one report of cardiac arrest at 15th Street and Ashland Avenue.
The Chicago Fire Department requested help, calling for a Third Alarm EMS Box with a mutual aid agreement with neighboring suburbs (see also Chicago Marathon Extra Alarm for Ambulances …).
It is likely that most of the medical cases will be diagnosed as heat exhaustion. The 2007 Chicago Marathon was a weather record-breaker with the following weather conditions reported:
at Chicago White Sox U.S. Cellular Field were the following:
Temperature: 87.5 F, Dew Point: 67 F, Wind: Southwest 2.0 mph, UV: 5 out
of 16, Clouds: Few clouds at 4100 feet and Scattered at 11000 feet,
Visibility: 10.0 miles, Barometric Pressure: 30.02 inches (Weather Summary for October 7 2007).
By 10 a.m., temperatures reported on the course had already reached a Chicago Marathon record temperature of 88 degrees. The previous record of 84 degrees occurred in 1979.
The Chicago Marathon started at 8:00 A.M. CT with a temperature reading of 73 degrees and 86 percent humidity.
One runner’s video report of the Chicago Marathon Expo.
About 10,000 of 45,000 registered runners did not check in for the 30th annual race — presumably on their own decision not to run in the extreme heat and avoid the risk of heat exhaustion, heat stroke and other heat related illness. Chicago Marathon race event organizers also planned to keep close watch on the weather with the option to halt the race.
See also …
Chicagomarathon.com
Heat Exhaustion Links …
Heat Exhaustion on Medicine.net
Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke on Emedicinehealth.com
Heat Exhaustion on MayoClinic.com
Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke on Emedicine.com
Heat Exhaustion on St. John Ambulance (UK) Official Website
Extreme Heat, Heat Exhaustion, and Heat Stroke from the Centers for Disease Control
Running in the Heat from Marathonguide.com
PubMed.gov results for ‘heat exhaustion’
Pubmed.gov results for ‘heat stroke’
Pubmed.gov results for ‘heat illness’