In light of the forecast heat during the 2026 Ardeca Ypres Rally, which will be held on Friday and Saturday, a meeting took place on Wednesday morning between the following parties:
- CMO Dr. Tom Declercq, a Director from Club Superstage.
- Ms. Katrien Gielen, Federal Public Service for Public Health
- Geert Deruyttere and Karel Decaluwé, Red Cross West Flanders
- Maarten Delaere, Head Nurse Emergency Department, Jan Yperman Hospital
- Hugo Van Opstal, Press Officer Ardeca Ypres Rally
- Management representatives of Jan Yperman Hospital, specifically Paramedical Director E. Delporte
To ensure the safety of participants, fans, and staff during the event, the following measures were agreed:
- All participants will receive extra (chilled) water. This water will be distributed at the Refuel station (Poperingseweg, Vlamertinge) whenever participants pass by, approximately every 2 hours.
- All staff and volunteers will be distributed extra (chilled) water before, during, and after the rally.
- An extra reserve Red Cross ambulance will be deployed to receive those suffering from heat related issues and transfer them if necessary.
- An aid station will be set up in the meeting rooms of the Jan Yperman Hospital in Ypres.
- The aid station will be staffed by four Red Cross volunteers and one emergency nurse. Ten lying and ten sitting positions will be arranged for the care of heat patients. Access to this aid station is separated from other entrances to the hospital. Patients treated at this aid station fall entirely under the medical responsibility of CMO Dr. Tom Declercq, who, if necessary and after consultation with the emergency department, can quickly arrange for the patients to be transferred to the emergency department of the Jan Yperman Hospital.
- Clear agreements regarding the treatment of patients at the aid station will be written down within the medical service of the Ardeca Ypres Rally. Clear agreements were made with the FPS Public Health regarding the potential scaling up of necessary medical and paramedical care needs. All medical personnel, the Red Cross, and the FPS Public Health will be briefed separately prior to the rally.
- Superstage will regularly warn about the consequences of the heat and recommend precautionary measures on all its (social media) channels.
- The situation is being closely monitored in consultation with the FPS Public Health, the Red Cross, and the CMO from Rally Control at the Vleeshuis in Ypres.
