IVs & ice baths: Marathon med teams prep for Monday

Also: Mass. readies for possible Steward hospital closures; why the marathon starting line moved to Hopkinton [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  April 12, 2024 🌧️ Showers and breezy, with temperatures reaching 65. Good Morning Boston, TGIF! Before you rush out to grab [a $1 scoop of ice cream]( let's get to today's news: - Marathon Monday is looking like a bluebird day for spectators — but less so for runners. Temperatures will be [on the warmer side]( in the 60s with a 10 mph tailwind. Officials warn this may result in more cases of heat-related illnesses, like dehydration and heat stroke. “Historically, warmer temperatures have caused a higher volume at the medical tents and for transports to area [emergency departments],” Kerin Milesky, who leads the Department of Health's office of preparedness and disaster planning, told WBUR. Here's how the marathon's volunteer medical team and hospitals are preparing: - There are over 1,800 medical volunteers on staff during the Boston Marathon. That may sound like a lot, but Chris Troyanos, the marathon's longtime medical coordinator, told All Things Considered host Lisa Mullins the tents along the course on a light year see about 1,100 to 1,200 athletes. "Now, on a heavier day, we've treated as many as 8% or 9% of the field," Troyanos added. When it comes to heat-related issues on Monday, he said tents are equipped to do everything from give IVs and check salt content, to use ice submersion therapy to bring down a runner's core temperature. - When it comes to hospitals, Paul Biddinger, chief preparedness and continuity officer at Mass General Brigham, told WBUR's Priyanka Dayal McCluskey most runners are treated in the medical tents, but they're still expecting to see an increase in patients. "We always make sure we're well stocked up on warming blankets, on fluids that the runners can drink if they come in a bit dehydrated," he said. "We typically staff up a little bit in terms of our nurses, our providers... The challenge is fitting more patients into already crowded hospitals." Biddinger added Mass General will be ready, even if it means squeezing stretchers into hallways. - If you're one of Monday's 30,000 marathon runners, don't panic. Troyanos suggests familiarizing yourself with the heat stroke warning signs: dizziness, headache, nausea, cramping and dehydration. The wind may also wick sweat away, making it harder for your body to cool down. Hydration and pacing will be key, he said. - Related: Troyanos is set to retire this year after almost 50 years on the job. In a chat with Lisa along the marathon route, he talks about the biggest changes he's seen since he started volunteering in the medical tents in 1977. [Listen — or read the highlights — here.]( - Shuttle bus blues: The MBTA wrapped up its three-night Blue Line diversion last night, but subway riders in East Boston and Revere are looking at a bigger disruption starting next week, as part of [the T’s larger War on Slow Zones](. It’s essentially a 12-day diversion split into two parts: - Part 1: All Blue Line service north of the harbor — between Maverick and Wonderland — will be replaced by shuttles from Wednesday, April 17 through Friday, April 19. - Part 2: The diversion then recedes slightly to between Airport and Wonderland for the following nine days, April 20 to April 28. - Why is it in two different parts? During the first three days, MBTA officials say they’re concentrating work around Maverick to restore access to that station “as quickly as possible” and lessen the impacts to the East Boston community. It also makes for a more direct trip between downtown Boston and Logan Airport during the latter nine days. - Music to our ears: The Boston Symphony Orchestra is inviting all Bostonians to a free concert on Sunday, May 5, at 2 p.m. This year's ["Concert for the City"]( classical showcase will feature performances by the BSO, Boston Pops and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus. Tickets are free and can be [reserved starting today at 10 a.m. online]( or in person at the Symphony Hall Box Office. - Signs of spring: Boston's Swan Boats return to the water tomorrow. The fleet of six historic boats were assembled by hand on Monday, before being transported to the Boston Public Garden for their annual debut. Once the boats are launched, local families (including Mayor Michelle Wu and her children) will line up for the first rides of the year. Check out the full season hours and pricing [here](. P.S. — We learned this week Boston is renaming one of its public schools in tribute to a legendary local activist. Do you know who it is? Then take our [Boston News Quiz]( and see how well you remember this week’s stories compared to other WBUR readers. Meagan McGinnes Assistant Managing Editor, Newsletters Hanna Ali Associate Producer, Newsletters  Support the news  The Rundown ['Increasingly urgent': Mass. ratchets up preparation for possible Steward closures]( Next week, Gov. Maura Healey's administration will kick off a series of regional meetings with hospitals and community health centers in areas where Steward operates to discuss how to help patients in the event Steward cuts back on care or closes facilities. [Read more.]( ['Increasingly urgent': Mass. ratchets up preparation for possible Steward closures]( Next week, Gov. Maura Healey's administration will kick off a series of regional meetings with hospitals and community health centers in areas where Steward operates to discuss how to help patients in the event Steward cuts back on care or closes facilities. [Read more.]( [Mass. senate budget chief warns emergency shelter system could run out of money Monday]( The shelter system has far exceeded expected costs after seeing record numbers of homeless families, migrants, and asylum-seekers, and needs an infusion of money to continue running through June 30. [Read more.]( [Mass. senate budget chief warns emergency shelter system could run out of money Monday]( The shelter system has far exceeded expected costs after seeing record numbers of homeless families, migrants, and asylum-seekers, and needs an infusion of money to continue running through June 30. [Read more.]( [Harvard again requiring standardized test scores for those seeking admission]( Harvard had initially said it was going to maintain its test-optional policy through the entering class of the fall of 2026. [Read more.]( [Harvard again requiring standardized test scores for those seeking admission]( Harvard had initially said it was going to maintain its test-optional policy through the entering class of the fall of 2026. [Read more.]( [N.H. town creates public art ordinance after free speech debate over doughnut mural]( Voters in a New Hampshire town have passed an ordinance addressing what local officials call “a path forward” for the installation of murals and other public artwork. But a lawyer for a bakery owner in a First Amendment dispute with the town over a pastry painting fear it could result in more litigation. [Read more.]( [N.H. town creates public art ordinance after free speech debate over doughnut mural]( Voters in a New Hampshire town have passed an ordinance addressing what local officials call “a path forward” for the installation of murals and other public artwork. But a lawyer for a bakery owner in a First Amendment dispute with the town over a pastry painting fear it could result in more litigation. [Read more.]( [O.J. Simpson, football legend acquitted of notorious killings, dies at 76]( Simpson died on Wednesday after a battle with cancer, his family said. His celebrity turned to infamy three decades ago when he was accused and then acquitted of killing his ex-wife and her friend. [Read more.]( [O.J. Simpson, football legend acquitted of notorious killings, dies at 76]( Simpson died on Wednesday after a battle with cancer, his family said. His celebrity turned to infamy three decades ago when he was accused and then acquitted of killing his ex-wife and her friend. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - It's been 100 years since the Boston Marathon's starting line was moved from Ashland to Hopkinton. [Discover why the starting line was swapped here]( how the race has changed since. (Hint: The British royal family was involved.) - WBUR's Barbara Moran, 53, has run five marathons. She gave up running 20 years ago, when arthritis began eating away at her knees. But what if she could run one more? [In this personal essay]( Barb writes when she first started training for Boston, she thought she was trying to hold onto her younger self. Instead, she grew. - Arrow Street Arts, Cambridge’s new community theater that opened on April 1, aims to fill a need for affordable performance and rehearsal space. [Take a peek inside.]( - James Hills is a Bostonian first — and his show, "Java With Jimmy," has sought to highlight and amplify the voices of lifelong residents for the last four years. Hills sat down with Radio Boston host Tiziana Dearing to discuss his role as a public figure and member of Boston's Black and brown communities. [Listen to their conversation here.](  What We're Reading 📚 - Ocean Heat Has Shattered Records for More Than a Year. What’s Happening? ([The New York Times]( - Why Do We Want to Squish and Squeeze Things That Are Cute? Science Has the Answer ([Smithsonian Magazine]( - Vietnam sentences real estate tycoon Truong My Lan to death in massive fraud case ([PBS NewsHour](  Tell Me Something Good [Real-life 'Rosie the Riveters' reunite in D.C. to win the nation's top civilian honor]( Rosie the Riveter became an iconic symbol of the millions of women who worked industrial jobs during WWII. Dozens, now in their 90s and 100s, are accepting a Congressional gold medal on their behalf. [Read more.]( [Real-life 'Rosie the Riveters' reunite in D.C. to win the nation's top civilian honor]( Rosie the Riveter became an iconic symbol of the millions of women who worked industrial jobs during WWII. Dozens, now in their 90s and 100s, are accepting a Congressional gold medal on their behalf. [Read more.]( Listen: The Common is joined by WBUR environmental reporter Barbara Moran to [learn more about the "forever chemicals" in our water and what the EPA is doing about them.]( Play: [WBUR's daily mini crossword.]( Can you keep your streak going? Before you go: ["We don't know the lives they've lived, but they'll get the drink they deserve."]( Nik DeCosta-Klipa helped produce today's newsletter. 😎 Forward to a friend. 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