The French-speaking Red Cross is making new preparations for this year’s Brussels 20km run on Sunday in response to anticipated hot weather. These include stations with ice baths to help runners cool down and avoid severe heat exhaustion, one at the main medical post at the start and finish in Cinquantenaire park, one at Place Montgomery and one on Avenue de Tervuren. The Red Cross is also deploying two mobile teams in ambulances equipped with an ice bath for the running event. The purpose of
the cooling baths is to be able to act very quickly to assist runners who have become seriously overheated. “Hyperthermia does not only occur in extreme heat. We deal with it every year,” said Gilles De Schepper, emergency services coordinator for the race. “With these new units, we can intervene more quickly and effectively.” Hyperthermia, or overheating due to exertion, entails an extreme and sudden rise in body temperature that can become life-threatening and requires immediate assistance. “When body temperature rises above 39°C, the consequences
can become very serious within minutes,” warned the Red Cross. In addition to its precautions against hyperthermia, the Red Cross will deploy 430 staff members – both volunteer first aiders and professionals – to ensure the safety and health of almost 50,000 runners along the entire route. According to the organisation, the 20km through Brussels is the “largest rescue operation of the year” for the organisation. “On average, the teams spring into action every 32 seconds, usually for minor ailments, sometimes for life-threatening situations,” the
organisation said. In addition to the large medical station at Cinquantenaire park, which will cover an area of 500m², 13 other first-aid stations will be set up at various points along the route. The Red Cross is not the only entity preparing for Brussels’ big running event. Public transport operator Stib is adapting its network to make it easier for runners and their supporters to get around. The start and finish of the race are very easily accessible by public transport, using metro lines 1
and 5 (Merode or Schuman), tram lines 7 and 25 (Montgomery) and tram line 81 (Merode). Stib will be increasing services on all of these lines. Several bus and tram services impacted by the race route will be either suspended or diverted. A complete list of alterations to services can be found on the Stib website.
Brussels 20km, Red Cross, hyperthermia, ice baths, Cinquantenaire park, Place Montgomery, Avenue de Tervuren, Stib, metro lines 1 and 5, tram lines 7 and 25, tram line 81