West Allis Fire Dept. shares State Fair preps, safety tips

WEST ALLIS, Wis. (CBS 58) -- With more than one million people expected over the 11-day Wisconsin State Fair, some might need medical attention, and no matter the issue, one hometown fire department is there to help.

"We carry all this equipment with us no matter what," West Allis Fire Dept. Lt. Steven Prusinski told CBS 58 about the multiple bags full of medical supplies they have on hand for the state fair.

They have up to four mini ambulances ready to rescue anyone, anywhere.

"On the back, we have a stretcher, so if any of the fairgoers need to go to the hospital or be transported, we're able to navigate through the park a lot easier than bringing our own ambulance in," Prusinski explained. "We also have detailed maps of the entire park."

The department is headquartered on the north side of the park, and this will be the fourth fair they have provided medical services for.

"Last year, we responded to 333 calls inside the park," Prusinski said. "The year before, it was 271."

One of their most common calls is dehydration, but the State Fair does have refillable water bottle stations you can use to stay hydrated.

"You can bring in a sealed water bottle, and you can also bring in an unsealed water bottle as long as it's empty," Prusinski said.

"Especially if you're going to indulge in an adult beverage, please be cognizant and drink water throughout the day. Listen to your body. If you feel yourself getting tired or exhausted, take a break. Make sure you're wearing sunscreen, don't overexert yourself, try to find shade when you can, and also go into some of our air-conditioned buildings, go to the expo center, take a break, and look at the cool stuff inside there and cool yourself."

Whether you are enjoying the endless fried food options or using their enormous yellow slide, West Allis Fire says it is all about being aware at the fair.

"We don't want to discourage anyone or make anyone scared to come to the fair and think that something bad is going to happen," West Allis Fire Dept. Deputy Chief Armando Suarez Del Real said.

"We want to be prepared as we can be, and we want people to come to the fair to be as ready for the conditions as possible."

While sunscreen and water are a must, fairgoers might encounter some issues with their footwear.

"We deal with a lot of blisters, believe it or not, here at the fair," Prusinski said. "A lot of people buy new shoes, and they wear those for the first time here, there's a lot of walking around going on, and then they get blisters."

When you call 911 at the fair, it will go to the dispatch center, and then the fire department will arrive to help you wherever you are at the park. They ask that if you see them on a call, you give them room to help the person experiencing a medical event.