Fans Suffer Heat Exhaustion At New Stadium

[UNTflyer]

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A committee overseeing the University of Central Florida's new on-campus stadium will be tackling concerns about a lack of water fountains at the facility after more than a dozen people suffered from heat exhaustion at the school's first game Saturday.

During the game, emergency crews passed out free cups of water while several people suffered heat exhaustion.

Firefighters at the event said with the hot temperatures and so many people, it was difficult to keep up.

"For the regular residents who live here, it is important that you keep taking fluids in," Orange County fire official Anthony Willis. "We don't have water fountains on the property here. So going to the water stations and making purchases of water or bringing bottled water with you is paramount."

UCF played its first 28 seasons in the Florida Citrus Bowl in downtown Orlando, about 15 miles east of the Knights' sprawling campus. The $55 million, 43,323-seat facility was a long-range goal that coach George O'Leary put on a fast track after being hired in 2004.

The former Georgia Tech coach pulled off one of the biggest turnarounds in college football history two years ago, guiding UCF to the first bowl appearance in school history after going 0-11 in his first season in Orlando.

The Game-Day committee will also discuss traffic and concerns about lightning that caused a delay in Saturday's game.

[greenminer]

Shouldn't they have anticipated this?

[GoMeanGreen1999]

Shouldn't they have anticipated this?

Well you would think so, but then I remember where UNT was running out of bottled water just last year during games (or two years ago) and they did that two consecutive games.