Thirteen people were taken to the hospital Saturday before the Chiefs-Dolphins semifinal game because of a body-numbing cold.
In the Kansas City Chiefs wild-card matchup against the Miami Dolphins on Saturday, the area felt temperatures that had never been seen before.
Even though it was -4 degrees outside when the game started, GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Baltimore continued to be packed with over 70,000 people.
The Kansas City Police Department had a lot of work to do before, during, and after the game, even though many people were extra careful. About half of the almost 70 calls were about people who were too cold.
KMBC 9 was told by KCFD on Monday that they got 69 calls for help at Arrowhead on Saturday.
The calls in that number come from both within the stadium and the parking lot. The department says that 15 people were taken to hospitals in the area.
Seven of those who were taken to the hospital were treated for cold and three were treated for burns.
KMBC continues to await a response from KU about how many people showed up on game day.
These numbers don’t include people who just walk up to the KU Medical Center help stations.
Inside Arrowhead, there were also a total of seven first aid sites around the field. EMTs and KU Medical workers staffed these sites.
During the Chiefs vs. Dolphins game, the Kansas City Health Department said on Monday that their teams answered 69 calls on GEHA Field during Arrowhead Stadium land.
The bitter cold made people sick, and 15 were sent to the hospital for different cold-related problems.
A spokesman for the department said that seven of the victims were hypothermic, three needed medical care for frostbite, and five had other issues.
Based on the Chiefs’ game report, the weather was -4 degrees at the start of the Chiefs vs. Dolphins game, with a wind chill value of 27 degrees below zero.
FOX 4 says that the reports failed to mention people who went to the KU Health System first aid area at the stadium for help.
Interesting fact: it was also the fourth-coldest NFL game ever played, and it was the coldest game ever played at Arrowhead Stadium.
It was clear that the harsh cold was affecting the game. Andy Reid, the head coach, had a frozen beard, Patrick Mahomes, the QB, broke his helmet, and even the backup helmets froze when they were used.
Beers were frigid and bursting, and some die-hard fans faced the cold in the stands without shirts on.
Medical professionals had warned fans before about the dangerously chilly temperatures and wind chill.
If you don’t treat it, it can get worse and cause your skin to peel and change color. Some signs are tingling, darkened skin, and falling over.
Joe Folsom from Johnson County MED-ACT stressed how easy it is for people older than 65 as well as those younger than 18 to get frostbite. “If left untreated, you might develop septic, as well as sepsis may result in death whether left untreated,” he said.
If signs show up, people should go inside and get warm right away. But people should be careful not to use too much heat because losing feeling in their hands could cause more problems.
Hopper, KCFD EMS Division Chief, stressed how important it is to spot cold symptoms like shaking, which can lead to confusion, slow respiration, and breathing problems.
If the shaking stops, it turns into a life-threatening disease that needs help right away. People who are in the later stages of frostbite, which is shown by peeling skin or redness, must go to the emergency room right away.
“The body stays warm by shivering.” “If you stop shivering, you stop making heat, and if someone is unable to help you, it’s fatal,” Hopper said.