Lynn students afflicted with dehydration at fifth-grade track meet

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 meet was scheduled from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Due to a late bus, students did not start the competition until approximately 9:40 a.m. Friday’s event was the first of a four-day series and took place when the weather was approximately 80 degrees with full sun and a light breeze. It is the largest elementary-school track meet of its kind in the country, with more than 1,100 students competing over the four days. The students were to compete in running events, field events, and the relay. At roughly 9:45 a.m., students started 50-meter sprints followed by the one-mile race. The order of events was to be as follows: 50-meter, one mile, 800-meter, 400-meter, 100-meter, 200-meter, and a relay race. Coaches and gym teachers at the event advised their students that they should compete in the events of their choosing, but did not have to compete in all of them. There were roughly 300 students participating in the event from the schools in attendance.

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.

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