LYNN — Medical assistance rushed to Manning Field on Friday morning after multiple fifth-grade students participating in the Lynn Public Schools Annual Fifth Grade Track and Field Meet showed symptoms of dehydration.
At approximately 11 a.m., Lynn Public Schools Assistant Director of Health and Physical Education Colleen Peterson called EMTs to Manning Field for one child.
After EMTs arrived, multiple children reported feeling unwell. At that time, EMTs ordered that the remainder of the day’s events be canceled.
Ten children were reportedly triaged and transported by ambulance to Salem Hospital and Beverly Hospital. Additionally, other children were brought to hospitals by their guardians. EMTs evaluated others while volunteers from the event provided cases of water.
According to event coordinator and volunteer Joe Abelon, the event has never seen a situation like this in its decade of existence.
He added that some of the students have been training for months in anticipation of the event.
The finish-line official for the event, Bishop Fenwick cross-country coach Fred Doyle, said the students might have not been acclimated to the warm weather yet.
Lynn Fire District Chief Joseph Zukas said all of the complaints were “minor heat-related complaints.” He said that historically, the event has been very well run.
“We will talk to the school department to improve the next one,” he said.
He said the emergency response was executed well and everyone is expected to be okay.
Zukas said he believes a lot of the complaints were due to the heat, but “sometimes (feeling unwell) can be contagious.”
His advice for the community was to “drink lots of water.”
The remaining events were set to take place on May 28, May 31, and June 14 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. It is unclear if they will happen as scheduled.
