Dozens of people fell ill in the heat over the weekend at a taco-themed festival in Colorado Springs, according to the fire department.
Temperatures in Colorado Springs hit a record-tying 97 degrees on Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. The heat caused 72 people at the Tacos and Tequila Festival to fall ill, and paramedics took seven people to the hospital for severe dehydration or intoxication, the Colorado Springs Fire Department wrote on Facebook.
The Tacos and Tequila Festival describes itself on its website as “a nostalgia-packed celebration of throwback hip-hop and R&B.” The traveling festival unites live music, local food vendors and tequila tastings, according to the website.
In Colorado Springs, the festival was held at UCHealth Park on Tutt Boulevard.
The outdoor event coincided with a heat advisory on Saturday, and more advisories have been issued this week as the heat continues, according to the weather service.
El Paso, Fremont and Pueblo counties will be under a heat advisory until 7 p.m. Monday, and again between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Tuesday, according to the weather service.
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“Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors,” forecasters wrote in the advisories.
Colorado Springs Fire Department officials said people should watch out for signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, including:
- Heat exhaustion: Excessive sweating, dizziness, thirst, nausea, weakness, muscle cramps and headaches.
- Heat stroke: Confusion, slurred speech, nausea, rapid pulse and loss of consciousness.
“Heat stroke is a medical emergency,” fire officials said. “Call 911 immediately. Move the person to a cooler location and begin cooling them while waiting for emergency assistance to arrive.”
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