NEW CENTURY, Kan. — Summertime is for outdoor concerts, festivals and fun, but when temperatures are projected above 100 degrees, safety becomes a major concern for event planners.
Event organizers can plan for everything but the weather, according to Garmin KC Air Show’s Communications Director Jade DeGood . That means making sure as many resources are in place as possible to keep customers cool.
That includes parking a cooling bus at the event.
“It is a big Johnson County transit bus that has air conditioning," DeGood said. "You can hop on and hop off, cool down just a little bit before you wanna go and return to the airshow. We also have the WaterOne Quench Buggies to refill your water bottles. Everybody can bring one refillable water bottle and a sealed water bottle with you and we suggest you doing both.”
Spectators can bring hats, sunglasses, and battery-operated fans.
There's also a first-aid tent should any air show attendees suffer a heat-related illness.
“So if you’re not feeling great, you wanna be checked out, you wanna be somewhere cool, if you want cold water — go into the first aid area. They’ll check you out and send you back out when you’re good to go,” said DeGood. “We actually have several crews of EMS that will be around the area. They all have golf carts they all have the ability to take you to more care if needed.”
No matter where families decide to go, it is important to know your own body and come prepared, said Brian Spano with Blue Springs Parks and Recreation.
“We tell people to dress in light, loose fitting clothing, to eat lightly, bring plenty of water, drink plenty of water before they come out and even have like a cold compress that they can put around their neck,” said Spano. “A lot of things we do is rain or shine.”
The city’s Music in the Park Summer Concert Series will continue this weekend from 6 p.m. to 8m p.m.
Spano said they are hoping the sunset will cool down the temperature for the better part of the evening.
A Blue Springs Parks and Recreation staff member will be at the concert in case of any emergencies
“So if something were to happen, it’s a phone call away to call 911," said Spano. "If we need to or the police department for whatever reason."
KSHB 41 reached out to several other outdoor venues across the metro:
- Azura Amphitheater is allowing one sealed bottle of water up to one liter in size per person. The venue will also have misting tents and water refill stations throughout the grounds.
- GEHA Field at Arrowhead says all updates, weather-related or otherwise, for the Billy Joel and Stevie Nicks concert will be posted on its Twitter account.
- Outdoor Movie in the North Park says there are plenty of air-conditioned stores nearby and splash fountains in green spaces where kids can play.
