44 treated for heat illnesses at Charlotte Trump rally

CHARLOTTE — Mecklenburg EMS treated 44 people for heat-related illnesses Wednesday at former President Donald Trump’s rally at the Bojangles Coliseum. Of the 44 people treated, 13 were taken to the hospital. One person was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

Thousands of people attended the Trump rally. Many of the attendees got there very early, some before sunrise, and had to wait hours for the doors to open. Ariel footage from Chopper 9 showed some attendees holding umbrellas or standing under tents but most did not have those items. 

The line to get into the Bojangles Coliseum wrapped through the parking lot.

ExpandAutoplay

Image 1 of 17

Election 2024 Trump Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) (Alex Brandon/AP)

Private venues, such as Bojangles Coliseum, have contracted medical teams. In this case, it was Novant Health. Novant says it had paramedics, EMTs and nurses on standby at the event.

According to MEDIC, Secret Service asked for only three ambulances. Two of the ambulances were for the motorcade. The other ambulance was requested for the coliseum parking lot.

MEDIC tells Channel 9 they made the call to add another ambulance, the mass casualty bus, a UTV, and two supervisors. Charlotte Fire also brought out an engine company on its own.

A spokesperson for the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, which manages Bojangles Coliseum, says there was a water station in place.

Statement from MEDIC:

Asked for by the Secret Service:

• 2 ambulances for motorcade
• 1 ambulance posted at the Bojangles parking lot

Resources deployed to the event in addition to those requested by the Secret Service:

• 1 CFD Engine company – staffed 2 CFD UTVs (2 CFD personnel and 2 Medic personnel)
• 1 Mass Casualty Bus – not for transport, for patient triage + treatment
• 2 MEDIC Supervisors (Paramedic level)
• 1 MEDIC UTV
• 1 additional dedicated ambulance

EMS System Demand for the event:

• 44 Total calls for EMS response: 13 total patients transported by Medic; 1 in critical condition; 12 with minor complaints

Why didn’t MEDIC have more ambulances on-site?

1. The event at Bojangles last night was at a private venue. Private venues have contracted medical teams and are not required to request MEDIC on-site.

2. Public events requiring city permits w/ closed streets (i.e. Bank of America events/Charlotte Pride), are also required to have EMT coverage on-site (does not have to be Medic and does not have to have triage/transport capabilities).

3. MEDIC can act proactively and provide assistance outside these public events without being contracted with, depending on several factors including the scale of the event, anticipated crowd volume, heat index, etc. Despite not being compensated for these services, being able to triage/treat on-site preserves our ambulance resources throughout the county during the event period.

4. In anticipation of the event at Bojangles Coliseum yesterday, MEDIC proactively increased normal staffing levels and was able to cover the additional demand on the system.

Statement from CRVA:

At BOplex, the safety and well-being of our guests is always our highest priority. This commitment was clearly demonstrated during the recent Trump rally, where we implemented several proactive measures to ensure a safe experience.

Recognizing the importance of hydration in hot weather, we established hydration stations in the parking lot, which were refilled throughout the day. A dedicated team was on-site to oversee these stations and ensure guests had access to water. Additionally, during periods when concessions were paused, we provided free cold water to all guests in line.

We encourage you to connect with our trusted partners at Novant Health and Medic for more information on health and safety measures during the event. Their expertise and support are invaluable in creating a safe environment for attendees at our venue.

We also had three food trucks on site prior to doors opening, offering food and beverage options to accommodate guests

Statement from Novant:

We deployed a team of paramedics, EMTs and nurses to support Wednesday’s event. As with most summer events, heat related symptoms were the most frequently reported concern. Fortunately, the rally was a safe, well-organized event and only a small number of attendees required transfer to local medical centers.

VIDEO: Trump focuses on Harris at Charlotte rally

Trump focuses on Harris at Charlotte rally

©2024 Cox Media Group