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So far, fair assistance faring well
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PATIENT READY: Alan Scannell, Red Cross event coordinator, talks about the splints, blisters and bee stings that are treated at the Canfield Fair. Scannell said he expects the number of patients to be up as the weekend brings sunny weather.
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FAIR FORCE: Karen Davis of Coitsville, a firefighter, nurse and emergency medical responder, said the team at the Canfield Fair has a cart equipped with a medical bed, automated external defibrillator and portable water tanks, as well as full fire gear.
- PHOTOGALLERY:
The 2008 Canfield Fair - So far, fair assistance
faring well - 3 religious services
available to fairgoers - Bidding for quality and
the 4-H - Dragons, turtles, degus!
Oh my! - Royal court
- A trip to the
fair doesn't come cheap,
fairgoers say - VIDEO:
Jane Renkenberger - VIDEO:
Fair Mom - VIDEO:
Leroy's Sausage - 50 years at fair
bring honors for 2 - Wet rides, cow
kisses and tradition - Produce makes for
fair display - 2008 Outstanding Youth
Mahoning County
Junior Fair - Canfield Fair continues
long tradition - Admission and Ride
Prices - Health officials prepare
for fair
By ELISE FRANCO
When fair numbers drop, so do the number of Red Cross visits.
CANFIELD — Bee stings, blisters, cardiac arrest and women going into labor. Alan Scannell, Red Cross event coordinator, has seen it all.
Scannell, who has been a Red Cross volunteer for 28 years, said headquarters at the Canfield Fair has been much quieter than last year.
“Our numbers shadow the fair’s numbers,” he said. “So when the fair is really busy, so are we, and when it’s not we’re not.”
On Wednesday, the opening day of the fair, Austintown Fire Chief Andrew Frost said only 25 people were treated — 37 less than last year. Thursday, 52 people were treated.
Scannell said he expects the number of patients to pick up as the weekend brings sunny weather.
“Already today [Friday] we’ve had as many cases as we’ve had combined in the first two days,” he said.
Most fairgoers who need medical assistance ask for a Band-Aid for a blister or scrape, Scannell said.
“A lot of vendors come in with cuts on their hands,” he said. “One person came in because they stuck their finger in a rabbit cage and got scratched.”
The Coitsville Fire Department was also on hand Friday to take EMS calls.
Karen Davis, a firefighter, nurse and emergency medical responder, said the team has a cart equipped with a medical bed, automated external defibrillator and portable water tanks, as well as full fire gear.
“We’ve got it all,” she said. “If you don’t need it, OK. But if you do need it and you don’t have it, you’re out of luck.”
Rich Pope, who has been with the department for 19 years, said he’s seen much of the same.
“So far it’s been pretty much standard stuff — bee stings, fatigue from being in the sun, cows stepping on feet — it’s quiet so far this year,” he said. “Even the bee stings calmed down because the trash cans are covered now.”
Not all the calls are as run-of-mill though, Scannell said.
“About five years ago we had several ladies who came to the fair ready to deliver,” he said. “They went into labor, and we had to rush them to the hospital.”
Scannell said thanks to the EMS teams working together with the Red Cross, each of them women made it to the hospital before giving birth.
“And they were all back at the fair two days later,” he said, laughing.
Frost said in addition to the two Red Cross locations on the fairgrounds, three small ambulances staffed with paramedics are on hand to take calls, as well as a larger ambulance that sits outside the grounds ready to transport patients if necessary.
“Our ambulance response time to any calls that came in last year was three minutes or less,” he said. “That’s something we’re proud of, considering the crowds at the fair.”