VIDEO: Atlanta Fire Rescue officials are urging FIFA Fan Festival Atlanta visitors to take precautions after responding to hundreds of heat-related medical emergencies.

Since the Fan Festival opened, Atlanta Fire Rescue has responded to more than 700 medical emergencies, with more than 80% of those incidents being related to heat-related illnesses, according to Fire Chief Roderick Smith.

Smith said many visitors underestimate the impact of Atlanta’s humidity, which can make it more difficult for the body to cool itself.

“Many people come to the Atlanta area and they are prepared for heat, but they are not prepared for the humidity,” Smith said. “The humidity prevents your body from naturally perspiring and warding off the heat.”

To handle the large crowds, Atlanta Fire Rescue has a medical response team inside the Fan Festival.

Fire officials are encouraging fans to stay hydrated before arriving, drink water throughout the day and limit alcohol consumption, which can contribute to dehydration.

Atlanta News First

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VIDEO/PHOTOS: Five people are displaced, and two dogs are missing after an early-morning house fire on Mercer Island. Eastside Fire and Rescue says they received over 30 calls at around 1 a.m. to report hearing an explosion and a fire at a home near Lakeridge Elementary School. Some reported seeing fire spreading to grass and fences nearby.

Arriving crews found “heavy fire conditions” at a multi-story residence and had to take up a defensive position to save nearby structures from being exposed to the flames, according to Eastside Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Jon Wiseman. Wiseman reported seeing lots of sparks coming from the fire, and residents as far as Seattle could see the thick cloud of smoke as the house burned.

Firefighters ensured all occupants got out of the home safely, adding that five people were now displaced from this single-family residence. Two dogs were also in the home at the time of the fire, but Wiseman says the family believes both dogs were able to get out. Wiseman and the family asked Mercer Island neighbors to keep an eye out for the two dogs: a small dog and a labradoodle.

KIRO-TV CBS 7 Seattle

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Four people paddleboarding in the Columbia River near Wanapum State Park in Vantage were rescued by Kittitas County deputies June 29. According to a Kittitas County Sheriff Facebook post, reports claimed that high winds and waves pushed the four paddleboarders into the middle of the river and they could not make it back to shore. Later 9-1-1 calls provided more information, with deputies learning the group had been split up. Two of the four also fell into the cold river and were “unable to climb back onto their boards,” according to the post.

In response, Kittitas County deputies launched a rescue boat. The Kittitas County Sheriff release notes that the waves were so strong that even their rescue boat was “taking waves over the rail.” Deputies found all four people and brought them safely on board. They note one of the four paddleboarders was an eight-year-old girl, and three of the four were wearing life jackets.

The four paddleboarders were then taken to Wanapum State Park, where medics treated them for cold exposure, according to the post. The Kittitas County Sheriff’s office urges boaters to pay attention to the weather and plan ahead. They also remind to always wear a life jacket, stay close to help your partners, and turn back if conditions become more than you can safely handle, according to the post.

KIRO-TV CBS 7 Seattle

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One person was hospitalized Wednesday morning after a medical emergency at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. in Longview, Washington. The incident initially prompted a hazardous materials response but was later determined not to involve a spill. The Longview Fire Department and Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue were called to the paper mill about 7:24 a.m. after reports that an employee operating a forklift may have experienced a medical emergency. While on scene, crews upgraded the response after reports of an overturned sulfuric acid container and a strong odor.

Fire officials said employees believed the container was empty or nearly empty. Crews searched the area, evacuated nearby workers and found no evidence of a chemical release. The odor was later identified as hydrogen sulfide, likely coming from a nearby sewer system and unrelated to the incident, officials said.

“Upon thorough investigation, no spill was found and the environment was confirmed safe,” the Longview Fire Department said in a statement. Investigators believe the forklift may have veered into a dip in the floor after the operator experienced the medical emergency, causing the container to fall. They said that detail has not been confirmed. One person was taken to PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center. Their condition was not released.

KREM-TV CBS 2 Spokane

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Firefighters worked to contain a growing grass fire that closed Highway 12 and burned near the 12,776-acre Lambdin Fire. According to dispatch records, at about 3:34 p.m. on July 1 firefighters were dispatched to a reported brush fire next to Highway 12, at a spot a few miles west of Touchet. Firefighters arrived to find a fast-moving grass fire burning about four acres of land. A second-alarm fire response was requested as firefighters moved to begin containment, along with air resources.

Firefighters worked to contain the blaze, which was burning near the area scorched by the Lambdin Fire. Highway 12 was been closed between the exit to Nine Mile Road and Old Highway 12 near Touchet. Some power outages had also been reported in Touchet.

Update; The fire has been fully contained, and firefighters have mopped up the blaze.

Apple Valley News Now

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