PATERSON, NJ — A sweltering heat wave turned what should have been a joyous celebration for Paterson’s graduating seniors into a medical emergency on Monday, June 23, as soaring temperatures at Hinchliffe Stadium led to 150 attendees being treated for heat exhaustion and 16 hospitalizations.
The extreme conditions forced city officials to halt the afternoon commencement ceremonies, prompting Mayor Andre Sayegh to declare a state of emergency.
The Paterson School District held two outdoor graduation ceremonies at Hinchliffe Stadium, with temperatures climbing to nearly 100 degrees and a heat index exceeding 107 degrees. The morning session, starting at 9 a.m., honored graduates from International High School and John F. Kennedy High School. By 11:30 a.m., emergency crews had treated approximately 50 people for heat-related issues, with nine transported to local hospitals for dehydration and severe heat exhaustion.
Despite the morning’s challenges, the district proceeded with the afternoon ceremony at 12:30 p.m., which included Eastside High School, Rosa L. Parks School of Fine and Performing Arts, STARS/T.I.E.S. Academy, Paterson P-TECH High School, and Paterson STEAM High School. The decision proved costly as conditions worsened.
An additional 100 attendees required medical attention, and seven more were hospitalized. Emergency medical technicians scrambled to assist those affected, many of whom were graduates and family members seated on artificial turf or in unshaded concrete grandstands.
City officials declared the event a “mass casualty incident” about an hour into the afternoon ceremony, abruptly ending the proceedings as administrators were announcing Eastside High School graduates’ names. Mayor Sayegh, who had suggested holding the ceremonies indoors, authorized the shutdown and issued a citywide state of emergency to address the crisis.
The city had already issued an extreme heat advisory, effective from June 22 through June 25, urging residents to take precautions.
Paterson Fire Department Deputy Chief Jason Macones reported that emergency crews set up triage stations and distributed ice to alleviate symptoms. Paterson Public Schools Superintendent Laurie Newell faced scrutiny for proceeding with the afternoon session despite the morning’s heat-related incidents. Neither School Board President Eddie Gonzalez nor Vice President Joel Ramirez commented on the decision.
The lack of shade at Hinchliffe Stadium, combined with the heat-retaining artificial turf, exacerbated the situation.
Attendees, including parents like one who refused hospital transport to stay for her son’s graduation, described chaotic scenes as people fainted and required oxygen or cooling measures. The city opened cooling centers at the Paterson Main Library and Northside Library to provide relief amid the ongoing heat wave.