heat

Seven Children Taken to Hospital Due to Heat, Dehydration at Newington Summer Camp Carnival Day

Seven children were taken to the hospital after feeling sick because of dehydration and heat during the Summer Camp Carnival Day trip, according to the Newington Parks and Recreation Facebook page. 

A post on the Newington Parks and Recreation Facebook page says some children fell sick due to dehydration and heat and an ambulance service took care of them. Seven children were transported to Connecticut Children's Medical Center.

Around 900 children attended the event, according to Newington Parks and Recreation and they said they have contacted parents of children who became sick.

The department said many of the visiting town parks and recreation departments decided to load their buses and go home.

The Churchill Park campers entering grades 4 through 8 were transported to Newington High School and they are in the air-conditioned cafeteria where they can be picked up at the end of the day.

Mill Pond campers entering Kindergarten through grade 3 are in air-conditioned rooms in the Mortensen Community Center and will be going to Mill Pond pool this afternoon.

All Mill Pond campers can be picked up at the Mill Pond Pool area.

The department said, in the event of inclement thunder and lightning storms, parents will be notified if the pickup location changes.

Bill DeMaio is the superintendent with Newington’s Parks and Recreation.

“We’re doing everything in our power to address the heat, you know we’re in New England, we’re in Connecticut, it’s unfortunate,” said DeMaio. “The more transparent you are the more, the better you off on the whole situation and though it was very serious and a very bad situation, I think the town of Newington did a great job.”

DeMaio says several precautions were taken to help alert parents and protect students from the heat.

“We experienced a tremendous amount of heat and all of a sudden in a flash it was like in an hour,” said DeMaio. “We have an app for all of our parents and so immediately we told them don’t worry, don’t call the office, if your child was sick, we would have contacted you immediately.”

Officials from the parks department said they are moving tonight's festivities indoors. The free ice cream sundae and tie dye events will be held at the community center and some food trucks will be canceled.

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