By Barbara A. Schmitz
Not feeling the best and your head is pounding? Is the sun or heat getting to be too much? Or did you do the one thing you know you shouldn’t do at AirVenture — wear new shoes — and your feet hurt. Really hurt.
No worries.
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh has two first aid buildings on the grounds, and doctors and nurses are here to help, said Connie Campbell, First Aid chair.
Most people stop by their two buildings for things like sunburn, blisters, falls, slivers, and other minor things, she said. “If it’s anything minor, we will do a quick assessment and make a recommendation. If you need to go to a local emergency room, we’ll send you there.”
But if it is anything serious, or anything you think may be serious, Connie recommends you call 911 immediately. Oshkosh ambulances are on the grounds 24/7.
The first aid towers are located near the Red Barn in Camp Scholler or northeast of the FAA tower on the main grounds. They are open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. On Sunday, the Camp Scholler location is open 8 a.m. to noon, while the tower location is open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“Both locations resemble clinics,” Connie said, with exam rooms and cooling rooms, including tents for overflow conditions.
With air quality being a concern this year due to wildfires in Minnesota and Canada, Connie recommends people take precautions like they normally would if they are asthmatic. And that could include wearing a mask, depending on their condition and the amount of smoke.
“Otherwise, wear old, comfortable shoes, and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate,” she said.
The first aid staff usually see 150-300 people come into their buildings each year, as well as up to 1,500 people who come to the front porches for things like bandages or sunscreen.
Connie said they have about 300 volunteers, including doctors and nurses, who volunteer regularly during AirVenture. Each year, there are 120 spots to fill. Some volunteers are new, while others have been volunteering for 20 or 30 years. Dorothy Merkes served as First Aid chair for at least 40 years, and her family still comes back to volunteer and keep her legacy going, she said.
EAA volunteers have provided first aid services since the 1970s, Connie said. “We take care of everyone, as anyone can fall or need a helping hand.”
