Summary: The Sun Herald City to Surf is an annual 14km Fun run that starts from the center of Sydney, Australia, to Bondi Beach. This event attracts a field of 90,000 domestic and international runners. This annual event generates a substantial number of casualties, mainly related to exercise-induced heat exhaustion and poorly prepared entrants. This event’s history has seen runners suffer cardiac arrests in the past. The aim of early health engagement through the deployment of Emergency Medical Teams is to reduce mortality and morbidity from heat-related illness, with the added benefit of reducing presentations to an already burdened health system. The profile of the event and the risk of incident occurrence ensure that comprehensive multi-agency planning and community engagement go into this event. The Health response to this event is extensive, from primary first aid, massage, and physiotherapy to resuscitation-capable Emergency Medical Teams (EMTS). Selection of the amount of health resources considers event history, which includes the number and type of presentations, time of presentation, and expected weather and risks identified. Local health Districts are invited to apply to the EOI to supply Emergency Medical teams for this event. The standup of two medical facilities requires significant coverage from EMTs. Planning includes a proactive approach to messaging runners and a comprehensive review of previous events’ casualties and weather conditions. The multiagency identified risks also ensure that health has plans in place, including mobile teams for start-line crushes. This approach has seen a reduction in critical presentations over the last five years, while also seeing an increase in participant numbers due to the event’s popularity. This successful event reduces the burden on the existing overburdened health system and allows an opportunity to prepare for and exercise in an out-of-hospital event to ensure our teams’ ongoing readiness.
Friend et al. (Sun,) studied this question.