Fans prepare for dangerous heat ahead of Uptown concert

CHARLOTTE — Thousands of fans are expected at Bank of America Stadium this weekend for “The R&B Tour,” featuring Usher and Chris Brown.

With extreme heat continuing through the weekend, MEDIC is advising fans to start preparing hours before the show begins Friday night.

Mecklenburg County is under a Code Orange air quality alert. Experts say extreme heat can create smog, making the air more difficult to breathe, especially for people with asthma, heart disease or other respiratory conditions.

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MEDIC will have a mass-casualty unit on site, along with other utility vehicles staffed by paramedics patrolling the area around the stadium.

The goal, they say, is to treat people on site when possible, without overwhelming local emergency rooms.

“The best thing you can do is take care of yourself and not try to overdo it,” Lester Oliva, a paramedic, told Channel 9’s Miana Massey. “You want to be able to walk into those gates, enjoy this wonderful concert we have in our city, and not end up listening to Chris Brown and Usher in the back of my ambulance.”

MEDIC recommends hydrating before and during the concerts, wearing light, loose-fitting clothing and blocking the sun with sunscreen or a hat. They also say to spend time in the shade when possible.

Bank of America Stadium allows each person to bring in two unopened plastic water bottles.

Chris Brown and Usher will be in town Friday and Saturday. Gates will open at 6:30 p.m., and the show will start at 7 p.m. both nights.

Traffic Impacts

With so many people Uptown this weekend, Traffic Team 9’s Mark Taylor shares the roads that have already closed and ways to get around them. Watch the video below for more information.