SAN ANTONIO — At least one person was taken to the hospital for heat exhaustion during Sunday’s Barbacoa & Big Red Festival on the south side, a spokesperson with the San Antonio Fire Department said.
The ninth annual event was held at Greenline Park for the first time in 2019, and the lines for tacos and refreshments were rather long, many users on social media said.
City officials sent a rehab bus to give people a place to cool off. There were initial reports of multiple people suffering from heat exhaustion as thousands of people crowded the streets for the festival.
Metro Health issued a level III heat advisory Friday. The heat index was expected to reach between 90 to 108 degrees both Saturday and Sunday. Drinking plenty of water and protecting oneself from the sun are critical precautions when dealing with a level III heat advisory, Metro Health said. Sunstroke, heat cramps and heat exhaustion are possible health effects resulting from this heat level. Heat stroke is likely with prolonged exposure.
Warning signs of heat stroke include: red, hot, and moist or dry skin, no sweating, a strong rapid pulse or a slow weak pulse, nausea, confusion or acting strangely. If a child exhibits any of these signs cool the child rapidly with cool water (not an ice bath) and call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.