Photo by Art Smith Glen Mathess keeps an eye on runners as they finish the Parkersburg News and Sentinel Half Marathon last year. He is one of many health care professionals that help runners at the finish line and throughout the race.

PARKERSBURG — After running just over 13 miles, a number of people may need some medical assistance.

The WVU Medicine Camden Clark Medical Center will have personnel and volunteers ready to offer help to those who overexerted themselves during The Parkersburg News and Sentinel Half Marathon this Saturday during the Parkersburg Homecoming Festival.

Around 2,000 people are scheduled to participate in the 13.1-mile race through Parkersburg.

Camden Clark will have over 40 volunteers at the race, including a physician, nurses and ambulance personnel to help with medical concerns during and following the race.

Camden Clark Director of Emergency Services Susan Abdella said their job will be to evaluate people and determine if they need help to get them on their way or determine if it is something more serious that will require admittance to the hospital.

Ambulances will be along the race route if someone needs attention immediately as well as at the medical tent at the finish line.

“While we take oxygen, cots, IVs and IV poles, the ambulances still have their life packs,” Abdella said. “If someone is really bad, the ambulance crews can run an EKG, have a physician look at it and determine what needs to be done.

“It is not everybody, but you can tell some are in more distress and we want to make sure.”

Runners and walkers get dehydrated and the medical personnel get them fluids, including through IVs if needed, she said.

“We do that if they need to be rehydrated quickly,” Abdella said. “We also do a lot of scraped knees.”

Other concerns have included diarrhea, aches and pains. Representatives from First Settlement Physical Therapy are on hand to help people dealing with muscle cramps offering massages.

The volunteers this year also include the hospital’s CEO, the chief nursing officer, emergency room staff, in-house staff, housekeeping, medical records, the labs and others from throughout the medical center.

“I got people from all the way around wanting to help,” Abdella said. “Everybody just likes to help. It is a good time and we use it as a great team building experience as well as serving our community.”

The services are free of charge that day for race participants.

“We are just providing a community service that day,” Abdella said.

If people have an issue, hospital officials are able to address it and are able to follow up with the individual later.

If it is determined people need to go to the hospital, an ambulance crew is close at hand to transport them.

“Those people would then be checked into the hospital as a regular patient,” Abdella said.

A couple of years ago when the weather was especially humid, they had to admit people who suffered heart attacks.

“We had people with significant EKG changes and they had to be sent down and admitted to the hospital,” Abdella said.

The majority of concerns they deal with are people who don’t drink anything during the race and get dehydrated. Another concern is people who were not in shape or prepared for the race who overexert themselves.

“If it is really humid, you will also see people with respiratory problems,” Abdella said.

The hospital will have its Haz-Mat trailer on hand to provide a quick shower after the race.

Abdella commended race officials and planners with addressing the challenges that have come up through the race.

“It has been a wonderful team to be a part of to get that community feeling,” Abdella said. “This is a huge event to make happen.”

The hospital staff looks forward to being able to help with the race and afterward. They have medical personnel at the dinner afterward in case any of the race participants develop problems there.