Before the Great American State Fair on the National Mall was temporarily shut down Friday due to extreme heat, 11 people were taken to the hospital, while seven of those people received advanced life support and four received basic life support.
NBC News reportedly spoke with DC Fire and EMS, who confirmed that before the fair temporarily closed, they had 44 patient contacts. 11 of those people were transported to the hospital “for various illnesses and injuries,” as seven individuals received advanced life support and four people received basic life support.
The outlet further outlined that DC Fire and EMS confirmed to NBC Washington that over a dozen of the reported patient contacts “were related to heat illness and injury.”
The Great American State Fair is part of President Donald Trump‘s Freedom 250 lineup. Saturday’s Fourth of July festivities, the Salute To America Celebration and Fireworks event, was also pushed back due to heat conditions.
“The safety and well-being of every guest remains our top priority as we celebrate this historic 250th Independence Day,” the organization wrote in a statement. “In light of current heat conditions, Freedom 250, United States Park Police, National Park Service, the United States Secret Service, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have coordinated closely to adjust event timing and expand cooling resources, water stations, and medical support across the grounds. We are proud to welcome the public to a safe, well-prepared, and truly memorable celebration of America’s 250th birthday.”
Earlier on Friday, Freedom 250’s official X shared a statement regarding the brief closing of the fair, writing, “The safety and well-being of our guests, volunteers, performers, vendors, and staff is our highest priority. Conditions are expected to improve later this afternoon, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back at 5:00 p.m. as preparations continue for this evening’s festivities.”
America’s Independence Day Parade organizers also canceled a planned parade because of extreme heat in Washington, D.C.
