As Minnesota experienced intense heat and humidity on Sunday—with heat indices exceeding 100 degrees—State Fair attendees flocked to the front.
“That doesn’t deter us,” said David Gurrola of Blaine. “We drink water and beer. Cold beer.”
The first of these drinks is a reminder from Dr. Aaron Burnett to recharge people’s batteries as the heat warning continues into the beginning of the week. Burnett is the medical director of the EMS team at Regions Hospital, the fair’s official first aid facility.
He said the two local medical stations have hired more staff in light of the more dangerous weather conditions. The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for much of central and southern Minnesota until 8 p.m. Monday.
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There has been a slight increase since Sunday afternoon in the number of people seeking heat relief at the stations – one near the West End Market and another in the 4-H building – but it is not too overwhelming, he said.
“The good news is that most people who suffer from heat-related illnesses get better pretty quickly if they get out of the heat, go to an air-conditioned environment and drink plenty of fluids,” Burnett said.
Even on this day, with temperatures in the 90s, Burnett reminded fairgoers to start drinking on the way to the fair – on the bus, on the train – and then keep drinking as they walk from booth to booth. The people who tend to have the most heat-related problems are those who come to the fair a little dehydrated, he said.
He also wanted to remind people to sit down and “listen to their own bodies.”
“If you sit down at the State Fair, you won’t miss anything,” Burnett said. “There are a lot of great places at the State Fair to sit, stay in the shade, listen to music or watch a performance.”
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Outside of the fair, seven Salvation Army service centers in the Twin Cities will be open Monday for anyone needing respite from the heat.
“People can come in, rest, cool off, drink some cool water and stay as long as they want,” said Salvation Army spokesman Dan Furry. “Rest assured, there will be a place where people can sit and relax.”
A map of public air-conditioned buildings is also available on the Hennepin County website, highlighting libraries and shopping centers where people who need air conditioning can go.
And those who plan to stay until the end of the fair should prepare themselves for a wet nose.
“I’m very sweaty,” Maria Haley said from the site on Sunday afternoon. “I think everyone in my group is very sweaty, too. And we just accepted it at this point.”
A cold front is expected to pass through tonight, bringing relief from the heat to the state but possibly also bringing severe storms.
Reporter Chandra Colvin contributed to this report.
