TRACK MEET HELD IN TRIPLE-DIGIT HEAT UNDER REVIEW

LA Newspaper Group/Daily News, Daily Breeze -From wire service reports | http://bit.ly/dCOq1R

This video image provided by KTLA-TV shows firefighter paramedics transporting a victim suffering from heat-related illness Thursday Sept. 30, 2010 in the Woodland Hills area of Los Angeles. A fire spokesman says 10 students participating in a cross-country race at a Los Angeles college have been taken to hospitals after suffering from heat-related illnesses. (AP Photo/KTLA-TV)

Updated: 10/01/2010 01:34:18 PM PDT --A high school track meet in near-triple-digit temperatures in Woodland Hills, during which some of the runners became sick from the heat, was under review today by school district officials.

The students -- many of them cross-country runners -- started getting sick about 4 p.m. Thursday on the campus of Pierce Community College, said Erik Scott of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

About a dozen people reported heat-related ailments, and 10 were taken to hospitals.

Woodland Hills is often the hottest place in Los Angeles County, and temperatures were in the high 90s at the time.

"A complete account of yesterday's situation is currently being reviewed by the district and a report will be prepared for Superintendent (Ramon) Cortines," according to a statement from the Los Angeles Unified School District.

About 25 of the 40 schools at Thursday's track meet were from the LAUSD.

"Emergency responders were able to quickly triage the patients, and as people started getting treated, additional students were complaining of heat- related injuries and became patients themselves," a firefighter told ABC7.

Fire Battalion Chief Gerry Malais told Fox11 that "most of them were starting to feel a little queasy ... they weren't really conscious of their facilities ... there was profuse sweating."

Cleveland High runner Jocelyn Garcia told Fox11 she "felt really hot, like I needed to pass out."

"I just remember finishing the race and all the rest is a blur," she said.

Another runner, Janet Escalero, told Fox11, that she "saw a lot of people walking and I started walking."

"There were coaches telling them to keep running but they couldn't keep running," Escalero said. "It was too hot."

<<Student exercise at the John Shepard Stadium at Pierce College on Thursday, Sept. 30, 2010, in the Woodland Hills area of Los Angeles. A fire spokesman says 10 students participating in a cross-country race at this Los Angeles college have been taken to hospitals after suffering from heat-related illnesses. The National Weather Service says Woodland Hills recorded a high of 97 degrees Thursday. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) (Damian Dovarganes)

The school district is looking into why the race was allowed to go forward under such weather conditions.

"The safety and well-being of all students of the Los Angeles Unified School District is paramount to our mission," according to the district's statement. "Consequently, the district has policies and procedures to ensure that objective is met when students are involved in physical activities at elevated temperatures.

The statement noted that experts have issued guidelines regarding physical activities during hot weather, and that it is the responsibility of district personnel to "pay attention to weather conditions and use common sense and good judgment for modifying student activities."

The district reported that before and during the meet, coaches were reminded to make sure their students were hydrated, and that because of the hot weather, coaches and students were given the option not to participate. They also noted that two paramedics were on site.

Before the meet began, the coaches talked about whether to proceed with the event, and decided to go ahead "based on district guidelines and the coaches' assessment of their students' preparedness," according to the statement..

"However, after several races had been run, a few students started to become distressed and the meet was immediately canceled at 4 p.m.," according to the LAUSD statement, which described the response of school officials as "quick, effective and responsible."