Latest news with #EMSA
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
OKC Thunder parade: Officials report 100 heat calls, 24 hospital emergencies during event
At least 24 people needed hospital treatment for heat illness emergencies as hundreds of thousands swarmed through Midtown and downtown Oklahoma City to support the OKC Thunder's 2025 Champions Parade. Numerous people from all over the city, the state and the country braved high temperatures and congested streets Tuesday, June 24, in downtown Oklahoma City to celebrate the NBA team's historic win. Ahead of the parade, officials advised spectators on how to stay safe while outdoors in the heat by drinking water consistently, taking shade breaks, and watching for signs of heat exhaustion. The Emergency Medical Services Authority, or EMSA, had water stations along the route and dozens of teams to assist parade attendees as temperatures climbed into the high eighties. But challenges presented themselves as the event progressed. While a crowd amassed at Scissortail Park before the conclusion of the parade, security was seen providing spectators with water bottles and towels. Troopers with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol helped carry a woman out of the throng to a shaded area and placed her inside a patrol vehicle before driving off. One older woman with a walker pushed to the front of the barricades, looking visibly flushed, before a younger woman gave her a bottle of water. Another young girl was complaining to her mother about feeling uneasy, before lurching over abruptly and vomiting. Kimberly Querry, EMSA's public information officer, confirmed that crews responded to at least 100 suspected heat-related illness calls. They'd also taken 24 patients to local hospitals for treatment, Querry said. "I know the calls are starting to go down in number, and I know it's a lot," Kimberly said as she was leaving downtown. "There were just so many people and our crews were so spread out, it's going to take some time to figure out." One Yukon police official involved in the parade plans said he expected a minimum of 600,000 to show up for the event, but an official crowd estimate had not been provided by press time. The sheer number of people flocking into downtown Oklahoma City forced local law enforcement to partner with agencies from around the state to accommodate parade attendance. EMSA officials said they had been prepping for the event for weeks. "We had to coordinate with other agencies to try and figure out the best way to handle that volume of people in that small of an area," Querry said. "We developed strike teams and response teams, and we had golf courts so they could get more easily through the crowd if they needed to. That kind of planning just takes time." The crowd sizes and the severe heat might have enflamed other tensions. Just before 10:30 a.m., a fight broke out just outside Scissortail Park. Within seconds of fists flying, troopers had detained one man and led him away in handcuffs. Arguments were seen elsewhere in the crowd at Scissortail Park, but cooled down without further incident. Tragedy to triumph: 30 years after the OKC bombing, a city celebrates how far it's come Law enforcement was highly visible during the parade. Agencies involved alongside the Oklahoma City Police Department included the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office; the Edmond, Moore, Norman, Lawton and Yukon police departments; the Oklahoma Highway Patrol; the Oklahoma National Guard, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, among others. "I think it'll mainly just be working with our agency partners on a debrief of how everything worked, what we did well and what we could do better," Querry said. "We typically do a lot of big events every year, but I don't know if we've ever seen an event like this ― not even with the (annual) Memorial Marathon ― that we have this many people." This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Heat illness calls surge as thousands support OKC Thunder Champions parade
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
What to know about the Thunder championship parade, the biggest celebration in OKC history
Oklahoma City is scrambling to host a parade and festivities less than 48 hours after the Thunder won the NBA Championship, and organizers are hoping it will draw record crowds while also warning fans to prepare for sweltering heat, long walks, traffic jams, cell phone disruptions and limited downtown parking. City crews started closing sections of the parade route, notably Harvey Avenue, as construction started on viewing stands to be placed at Scissortail Park, 300 SW Seventh St. Advertisement Mayor David Holt said downtown access during the parade and festivities on Tuesday, June 24, will be limited, but the opportunity for the city to be showcased on the world stage will be worth any inconvenience. 'Our team has achieved sports immortality,' Holt said. 'That opens doors for us as a community that we'll be walking through not just for years to come, but for decades to come.' Plans were detailed at the Oklahoma City Convention Center by representatives of EMSA, EMBARK, Oklahoma City Police and Fire Departments. They disclosed extensive planning was done before Game 7, but some details were not sorted through until after the championship win late Sunday night, June 22, when the Thunder beat the Indiana Pacers 103-91. Advertisement 'This is a Herculean effort, especially if you want to do it right,' Holt said. 'So many amazing people have been working on this for weeks. We understood that it might not happen, and that's part of the deal.' More: OKC Thunder parade 2025: See championship parade route, road closure schedule When to arrive, when to celebrate Festivities will start at 9 a.m. inside Paycom Center with a team event closed to the public but aired on local television, online and on large screens to be placed at various viewing spots along the parade route. The 90-minute parade will start at 10:30 a.m. at NW 10th and Harvey Avenue in Midtown and end at Scissortail Park. Advertisement A brief closing program will be presented on the stage of Scissortail Park at the end of the parade and will also be televised. Holt advised anyone wanting to see the parade arrive early and predicted those who arrive after 8 a.m. may have trouble navigating the crowds and detours to view the parade. Two of the city's public downtown garages will be closed with the only parking available at Century Center at Sheridan and Robinson avenues and the Convention Center Garage at SW Fourth and E.K. Gaylord Boulevard. Those spaces are expected to fill up fast and early. Fans leave the stadium after Oklahoma City won the NBA Finals in game 7 between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers at Paycom Center on Sunday, June 22, in Oklahoma City. 'Things that you would think are absurd, like parking in Paseo and walking 10 blocks into downtown may be necessary,' Holt said. 'Expect lots of walking, lots of time and just be good to each other. And bring water. Don't expect to stop at a gas station on the way to get some water — their shelves will probably be empty.' Advertisement EMBARK Director Jessie Rush urged Thunder fans to consider using off-site park-and-ride operations, with buses running every 15 minutes to stops along the parade route between 7 and 9:30 a.m. Shuttles from the drop-off locations back to the park-and-ride lots will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For those parking in State Fair Lot R, the drop-off and return stop will be at Main Street and Lee Avenue by the recently painted mural of MVP star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Those parking at Remington Park West Lot at Martin Luther King Avenue and Remington Drive and Capitol South Lot at NE 21st and Lincoln Boulevard will have a drop-off and return stop along Broadway between NW Seventh and NW Eighth. Those using park-and-ride shuttles will be required to use the same bus link to and from the celebrations. Advertisement Rush said streetcar operations will not run until the parade is over. The EMBARK transfer center also will be closed, with connections to instead take place Tuesday at the park-and-ride lot at the fairgrounds. More: Here's where you can buy our OKC Thunder championship commemorative editions in person and online Ecstatic fans celebrate as they leave Game 7 of the NBA Finals, which the Oklahoma City Thunder won against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, June 22. Getting around downtown will be difficult Streets were already closing Monday and vehicular traffic will not be allowed to cross parade routes along NW Fourth, NW 10th, Robert S. Kerr Avenue and Reno Avenue after 7:30 a.m. Tuesday. 'It's already getting a little rough downtown,' Holt said. 'If you own a downtown office or entity, normal operations are not possible. Analogize it to a weather closure, like an enormous snowstorm.' Advertisement Holt, also dean of Oklahoma City University School of Law, said the college in Midtown is closing during parade day as is all nonessential operations at City Hall. 'If you are downtown, you simply cannot continue your normal operations on Tuesday,' Holt said. 'And we'll have to act accordingly.' Handicap accessible viewing areas, including sign language interpreters, will be centered at Bicentennial Park, 500 Couch Drive. The parade route will be blocked off and street crossings of any type will not be allowed until the event is over. Holt advised parade goers to plan in advance and pick viewing locations all along the two-mile parade route instead of gathering at the most popular spots like Scissortail Park. Advertisement 'Two miles sounds like a long way, but dropping hundreds of thousands along that is going to create situations where its many people deep,' Holt said. 'Your parade strategy is probably best executed by trying to be in some of the places further from Scissortail Park.' Communications will be difficult Downtown's daytime workforce is estimated at 80,000, far less than the 500,000 or more expected at the parade and cell phone service is expected to be spotty at best. Parade goers are being urged to attach contact information to children in case they get lost. Oklahoma City Police Chief Ron Bacy urged people to report anything they see that might be suspicious, including unattended bags, and to do so by contacting officers who will be posted all along the parade route. Advertisement 'Have a plan on how to get back together if you get separated,' Bacy said. 'Make sure your children know your contact information.' Public safety and health safety a 'priority" Holt called safety a priority for emergency responders. The parade coincides with a heightened terrorism alert nationwide following the U.S. bombing attack on Iran. Bacy said law enforcement agencies at the city, county and state level from throughout Oklahoma, including the National Guard, will be helping police during the parade. 'Being Oklahoma City, we consider these things in advance for any incident or event that we are planning,' Bacy said. 'We're monitoring things as we progress and we will adjust as we need to.' Advertisement Drone and helicopter access in the skies over downtown will be prohibited, and any cars parked along streets along the parade route will be towed. Fire Chief Richard Kelley and EMSA public affairs officer Michael Parrish said they are ready to handle health emergencies that can be expected with record-sized crowds in the middle of an Oklahoma summer Parrish said EMSA is drawing additional paramedics and emergency medical technicians from across the state and country. He said arrangements have been made with nearby hospitals and first aid stations will be placed along the parade route. 'Weather will be in the 80s, and closer to the 90s,' Kelley said. 'Make sure you are hydrated. Wear appropriate clothes — loose clothes, good shoes — and use sunscreen.' Advertisement Hydration stations will be established at Scissortail Park and the basketball court at Reno and Walker avenues; Together Square, 400 W Sheridan; OCU Law School, 800 N Harvey; and Bicentennial Park, east of the Civic Center Music Hall. 'Bring a thermos; bring water that you can keep cold,' Kelley said. 'We're going to make sure you stay safe in our city. If you see someone who is having an emergency, find a police officer, find a firefighter, an EMSA paramedic or someone in city uniform, and tell them, because you may not have cell service.' In the case of a public emergency, shelter-in-place locations will be provided at Dowell Center Parking Garage, National Memorial Parking Garage, Arts District Parking Garage, BOK Parking Garage, Sheridan/Walker Parking Garage, Santa Fe Parking Garage, the Oklahoma City Convention Center and the Convention Center Parking Garage. Funding to be detailed at a later time City Manager Craig Freeman said the cost of the parade itself is being funded by the Thunder while arrangements on funding of public safety and emergency responders are going to be split by the team, the city and the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber through sponsorships and other sources. Advertisement Holt confirmed the authenticity of video of open-top parade buses painted with Thunder championship logos that was posted online Sunday and mentioned by Pacers coach Richard Carlisle. 'We appreciate the early announcement on that,' Holt joked. 'In addition to the players, there will be members of the Thunder family (on the parade buses). It's not the Centennial Parade, where it was intended to capture the entire spectrum of Oklahoma. It's about the Thunder and we will see what's awesome about Oklahoma City.' This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma City Thunder parade what to know: Route, weather, traffic
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
EMSA releases first heat alert of 2025 for OKC
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – It's getting warmer outside as the summer months roll around. It got hot enough over the past weekend for EMSA to issue their first heat alert of the year for Oklahoma City Monday morning. EMSA is now urging caution to people spending long amounts of time outside as future rain can cause even more humidity later on. 'It is time to be prepared,' EMSA paramedic Tori Thompson said. 'Prepared' is the key word with the newest heat alert. 'Let's be proactive and not reactive,' Thompson said. EMSA crews responded to 7 heat related illness calls on Sunday alone. Three of those patients went to the hospital. Those numbers don't include what Thompson said she's seen at the Women's College World Series. 'I've been out there the last few days and we have had an extreme number of heat related illnesses out there,' Thompson said. 'The humidity is really taking a toll.' To keep yourself right side up and out of one of EMSA's gurney's, hydration should be a number one priority. 'Let's start hydrating days before we know we're going to be outside for an extended amount of time,' Thompson said. Guthrie Job Corps closing its doors due to federal budget cuts While outside, take breaks consistently, remember to wear light colored and loose fitting clothing and make sure you can find shade when you need it. If you have to, bring blankets to create that shade and don't forget to wear sunscreen. 'Don't leave anyone in a hot vehicle,' Thompson said. 'Make sure your pets have water. Don't leave them out for extended amount of time. That affects them just as it does us.' According to Thompson, this is about the time of year they normally send their first alert out. It may take some time to get acclimated, but if you prepare properly it can save your life. Don't drink too much alcohol or caffiene either. Now is also a good time to consistently check in on elderly neighbors to make sure they're doing OK. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Yahoo
One injured, suspect still at large following Monday afternoon shooting in Midwest City
MIDWEST CITY — Police are still searching for a suspect following a shooting near Northeast 10 Street and Air Depot Boulevard in Midwest City, according to reports from News 9 and KOCO. Both stations reported that police responded to a shooting that injured one man on Monday, May 26. The Oklahoman reached out to the Midwest City Police Department to verify details and obtain updated information about the incident, but had not received a response at the time of publication. KOCO reported that a fight occurred at the location earlier in the day, and a person involved in that fight returned with a gun and shot someone in the arm before fleeing the scene, according to Midwest City Police. According to News 9, Midwest City Police cited a "disturbance," but could not give an more details on what led to the shooting. The injured man initially left the scene before being stopped by police, then EMSA took him to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to News 9 reports. At this time, there is no description of the suspect and they are still at large, according to KOCO and News 9. The shooting comes just three days after 21-year-old Ethan Buycks was killed in a shooting at a high school graduation party on a street just a few blocks away in Midwest City. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Police searching for suspect in Midwest City shooting that injured one
Jordan Times
13-05-2025
- Business
- Jordan Times
Transport Ministry, EMSA discuss national maritime strategy development
Minister of Transport Wissam Tahtamouni on Monday meets with European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) experts Fabrizio Perelli and Norm Erik (Petra photo) AMMAN — Minister of Transport Wissam Tahtamouni on Monday met with European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) experts Fabrizio Perelli and Norm Erik to discuss the development of a national maritime strategy and ways to enhance Jordan's maritime sector. During the meeting, which was also attended by Jordan Maritime Commission (JMC) Director General Omar Dabbas, Tahtamouni highlighted the sector's growing significance, describing it as a vital pillar of the national economy and a key link connecting Jordan to global markets. She emphasised Jordan's strong partnership with the European Union and commended EMSA's ongoing technical support in developing the Kingdom's maritime transport sector, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. "The visit of EMSA experts presents an important opportunity to exchange expertise and align efforts to implement international best practices," the minister said, reaffirming Jordan's commitment to international maritime agreements and the adoption of updated policies for the safe handling of dangerous goods. The discussions focused on viable policy options within the framework of the upcoming national maritime strategy and the broader objectives the government seeks to achieve. The participants stressed the importance of technical cooperation in formulating a sustainable, forward-looking strategy. Perelli described the partnership between EMSA, the Ministry of Transport, and the JMC as a "constructive model" for advancing maritime safety in the region. He noted that the presence of EMSA experts in Jordan is aimed at supporting the development of a strategy that meets international standards and serves both national and regional interests. He also highlighted the importance of SAFEMED V, an EU-funded project supporting Mediterranean countries in implementing International Maritime Organisation (IMO) regulations and improving maritime safety standards. Erik commended the Ministry of Transport and its partners for their coordination efforts, stressing the importance of collaboration among all stakeholders to ensure the success of the strategy. He added that the EMSA team would hold field meetings in Aqaba to discuss implementation plans and address technical issues on the ground.
