(
)
Christine Quinn giving a speech on the steps of City Hall moments before a teenage girl who can be seen over the candidate’s left shoulder passed out. (
)
A teenage girl passed out at a Christine Quinn campaign event this afternoon, the second such incident on the mayoral candidate’s trail within the past six weeks.
The Democratic hopeful was speaking about women’s rights, family and employment issues on the steps of City Hall, when a 14-year-old family friend of Quinn’s wife Kim Catullo was suddenly overcome by the heat.
The girl was standing behind Quinn and her eyes rolled to the back of her head and her knees buckled before crumpling.
The 81-degree day felt much hotter with the humidity and Quinn’s supporters standing so close together, behind their candidate.
Quinn helped the girl stand and walk up the City Hall steps. Once inside, Quinn used wet paper towels to cool the girl’s legs and chest, before grabbing an ice pack to apply to the young supporter’s head.
“I’m OK,” the girl said as she left City Hall, escorted by Quinn, who was wearing all black, and her parents.
The girl’s dad said his family came out today, “Just to support Christine.”
“She’s fine. It all went fine,” the girl’s mom said.
Paramedics checked the girl before she went home.
“The young woman is fine. I don’t think she actually lost consciousness, she just got overheated. She has cooled down,” Quinn said.
“The paramedics were here and her pulse was fine. She’s fine. She was always alert and knew what time of day it was and things of that nature. She is resting.”
Quinn said she was grateful for support from the girl and her family.
“Her dad is a co-worker of my brother-in-law’s. They were in the city – her mom and dad – for some sightseeing and decided to participate in civic life and it’s hot here,” Quinn said.
“Thankfully she’s good, and our brothers and sisters from EMS are here just to triple-check Dr. Quinn’s unauthorized conclusions and I feel better now that it all seems good.”
During a Quinn event on July 16, an intern of supporter and Councilwoman Diana Reyna succumbed to the mid-90s heat and passed out in Brooklyn.
In that incident, Quinn personally called NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly and FDNY Commissioner Salvatore Cassano because an ambulance didn’t arrive immediately after 911 was first reached.
It finally took calls to the Hatzolah volunteer ambulance service for the intern to get medical attention, 31 minutes after the first 911 notification.
Quinn’s event this afternoon was intended to highlight the 19th Amendment — which became law on Aug. 26, 1920 and guaranteed the right to vote for American women.
US Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Upper East Side) and feminist icon Gloria Steinem joined Quinn at today’s event.
Knowing that her 14-year-old supporter was going to be OK, Quinn joked that she has to stop holding events outside on warm days.
“I’m going to purchase a mayoral tent with me to carry around at all times to keep things cooler in the future,” she cracked.
Additional reporting by David K. Li