MEDICINE HAT, AB — The Medicine Hat Stampede is coming up on Wednesday, and on Tuesday the festival started to take shape.
Roughly 175 workers gathered at the grounds, setting up the 132nd edition of the event.
It’s four days where people let loose, eat corn dogs and enjoy the rides.
However, there’s risks involved. With an average 60 to 70 injuries every year, combined with temperatures over 30 degrees, heat stroke and exhaustion can be common.
“Most of the time it’s things that are of a minor nature,” says Jim MacArthur, general manager of the Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede. “It could be a blister, a sting or an abrasion, on occasion there are a few serious incidents that happen and we think we’re ready for those.”
With around 500 volunteers on the grounds, Stampede officials make sure they’re taken care of just like attendees.
“Just generally speaking with the volunteers,” says MacArthur. “We want to make sure they get looked after, we have a couple of rooms that are dedicated to them where they can go cool off, have a bit to eat and some water.”
In some cases, Hatters are putting their lives in the hands of employees, like ride operators. When they’re standing in the sun all day, there can be some issues.
“The number one challenge would be the heat, it’s extremely hot out here,” says Darcy Benson, co-owner of West Coast Amusements. “So with that being said we have gone through lots of bottles of water, hopefully Medicine Hats got lots of bottles of water because our employees are drinking that up for sure.”
Benson says the company has protocols, with first aid-trained officials on site, and when it comes to ride safety, nothings slipping through the cracks.
“Before opening there’s like three different inspections that the ride goes through, so it’s pretty intense, but that’s the amount of time each ride takes right,” says Benson.
There are multiple resources for attendees who are injured or get too hot, and people patrolling the site to keep an eye on them.
“We do have medics on standby,” says MacArthur. “We’re hoping that they don’t have to use them of course but there’s a first aid centre at the north end of the drill hall and then we’re really well supported by the emergency agencies.”
In addition, although the two Kinplex buildings are closed this year, there’s still the auditorium and Higdon Hall for anyone that needs to cool off.
“It’s a nice relief to come in and just cool off and venture back outside for the rides,” says Linda Button, owner of Caleigh’s Crystals.
Temperatures are expected to cool off slightly by the end of the week.
