NO NEED TO FEEL THE HEAT
DISASTER boxes used in times of natural calamities will be on hand at the Gold Coast Airport Marathon this weekend.
Event health director Dr Brent Richards, from Gold Coast Health, said the boxes would be used as a precaution if any of the 27,000 competitors succumb to fatigue, asthma, falls, dehydration or worse.
Dr Richards said the 150 athletes on average who require medical attention each year would be well looked by 10 doctors and 13 nurses.
About 130 other medical staff, including paramedics and St Johns Ambulance volunteers, would be stationed around the course.
Dr Richards advised runners to drink plenty of water before and during the event and alert medical staff if they felt unwell.
“Dehydration and heat related illness can be fatal.”
He said visitors should be wary of the warm conditions on the Gold Coast during the winter months. “Even though we’re in the middle of winter, our experience of working at the marathon shows that exercised-induced heat related illness is still common.”