Emergency Tracking System Will Monitor Runners ’ Health At Boston Marathon

BOSTON (CBS) – In just four days, 30,000 exhausted runners will try to run 26.2 miles with one goal: crossing the finish line of the Boston Marathon. The task is a grueling one and athletes often need medical attention during the race. As Dr. Mallika Marshall reports, technology can help family and friends figure out what is going on with their loved ones. Blisters, twisted ankles, dehydration and hyperthermia are some of the more common ailments suffered by runners at the marathon. A medical tent during the Boston Marathon Race. (WBZ-TV) Last year, about 2,500 runners sought medical treatment during the race and this year there may be even more, given the warmer temperatures expected on Monday, which means many runners moving in and out of medical tents along the route and a challenge to keep track of where they are. Chris Troyanos, the Medical Services Coordinator for the BAA, says it can be a challenge to keep track of runners during the race. “What happens in that runner falls out, goes into a medical tent, maybe gets on one of our medical street buses?” asks Troyanos. “Where are they?” Questions, which can now be answered with the Emergency Tracking System. Fifty tablets, all provided by AT&T, will be deployed to medical personnel from Hopkinton to Boston, to keep tabs on runners at any given time. A volunteer scans the barcode on a runner’s bib when entering and leaving a facility. Local hospitals are also kept in the loop. A tablet used to mon...
Source: WBZ-TV - Breaking News, Weather and Sports for Boston, Worcester and New Hampshire - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Boston Marathon Health Local News Syndicated Local Watch Listen AT&T Dr. Mallika Marshall Emergency Tracking System Source Type: news