This year Belgium’s French-speaking Red Cross is introducing a new way to help participants in difficulty during the 20 km through Brussels race on Sunday. For the first time ever the aid organisation will provide five ice baths to cool down runners suffering from severe heat exhaustion.
The Red Cross is providing a total of five stations with a cooling bath. Specifically, the cooling baths will be located at three fixed stations: one at the main medical post at the start and finish in the Jubel Park, one at the Montgomeryplein and one on the Tervurenlaan. In addition, the Red Cross is deploying two mobile teams in ambulances equipped with an ice bath.
The purpose of the cooling baths is to be able to respond very quickly to runners who have become severely overheated. “Hyperthermia does not only occur in extreme heat: we deal with it every year. These new units, allow us to intervene more quickly and effectively,” Gilles De Schepper, the emergency services coordinator for the race, explains.
39 degrees Celsius
Hyperthermia (overheating) caused by exertion is an extreme and sudden rise in body temperature resulting from intense physical exertion. “When body temperature rises above 39 degrees Celsius, within minutes the consequences can become very serious,” warns the Red Cross. “In such cases, the situation can become life-threatening and immediate assistance is required.”
The new emergency units enable rapid treatment thanks to tubs filled with cold water and ice, into which patients suffering from heatstroke are immersed to lower their body temperature quickly.
Nearly 50,000 runners
In addition, on Sunday 31 May, the Red Cross will deploy 430 staff members (both volunteer first aiders and professionals) to ensure the safety and health along the entire route for the nearly 50,000 runners taking part. According to the organisation, the 20 km run through Brussels is the largest emergency operation of the year for the organisation. On average, the teams spring into action every 32 seconds: usually for minor ailments, sometimes for life-threatening situations.
In addition to the large medical post at the Jubel Park, which will cover an area of 500 square metres, thirteen other first-aid posts will be set up along the route.