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Impact of Near-Record Cold on Kansas City Chiefs Playoff Attendees
Research Medical Center in Missouri revealed on Friday that several individuals who attended the Kansas City Chiefs playoff game in January, held in near-record cold temperatures, had to undergo amputations as a result of frostbite injuries. While the exact number of affected individuals was not disclosed, the hospital confirmed that 12 patients required amputations, primarily involving fingers and toes. It was further stated that additional surgeries are anticipated over the next few weeks as the injuries continue to develop.
Frostbite Victims and Extreme Weather Conditions
The University of Kansas hospital also treated individuals for frostbite injuries following the game, although no amputations were reported in their case. The playoff game between the Dolphins and Chiefs saw temperatures plummet to minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit, with wind gusts leading to a bone-chilling windchill of minus 27 degrees Fahrenheit. This frigid climate established a new record for the coldest matchup in Arrowhead Stadium history, surpassing previous records set in 1983 and 2016.
In contrast, on the same day that the Chiefs faced off against the Dolphins, the Buffalo Bills were scheduled to host the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, due to adverse weather conditions that made travel perilous, the Bills-Steelers game was postponed by a day.
Addressing Cold-Weather Challenges
While Buffalo grappled with a heavy snowstorm dumping up to 2 feet of snow, Kansas City was confronted not with snow accumulation, but with what the National Weather Service classified as “dangerously cold” windchills. Dr. Megan Garcia, the medical director of the Grossman Burn Center at Research, emphasized the swift onset of frostbite within 30 minutes on exposed skin, which can occur even faster in the presence of windchill factors.
In light of the extreme conditions, fans were allowed to bring heated blankets and cardboard pieces to insulate their feet from the freezing concrete within Arrowhead Stadium.
Historical Cold Snap and NFL Milestones
While the frigid game in Kansas City made headlines, the record for the coldest NFL match remains the 1967 NFL championship game at Lambeau Field, where the temperature hit minus 13 Fahrenheit with a staggering windchill of minus 48 degrees. Known as the Ice Bowl, this game between the Packers and Cowboys epitomized extreme cold weather conditions in NFL history.
At the time of this report, the Kansas City Chiefs had not responded to inquiries from The Associated Press regarding the frostbite incidents and the aftermath of the playoff game.
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