Allegheny General Hospital held a mock mass casualty training on Thursday. The event, which is held twice a year, was conducted ahead of the NFL Draft, which will take place in Pittsburgh from April 23-25. [Courtesy of Allegheny Health Network]
An estimated 500,000 to 700,000 visitors are expected in Pittsburgh during the 2026 NFL draft, which will be held from April 23-25.
And the city’s two largest health systems, Allegheny Health Network and UPMC, have been preparing for months for the influx of football fans and all of the medical issues that might occur – intoxication, fights, falls, heart attacks, or mass casualty events.
“We are fully aware that there will be people with attendant medical concerns, and on top of that, when you put a lot of people into an area, there is the possibility for bumps, bruises and scrapes, said Dr. Don Yealy, CMO and chair of emergency medicine at UPMC. “And we also have to think about, what if the unimaginable happens, if there is a big event from a mass casualty perspective. We prepare for all of that, and we are prepared for anything that happens. We think,’What do we expect today and what could be the worst that happens?’”
Yealy said Pittsburgh hospitals have been planning for the NFL Draft since November, and administrators have talked with hospital leaders in cities that have hosted the draft, including Green Bay, Wis., and Detroit, Mich., about their experiences. They also have been in conversation with the NFL about preparations.
“We’ve gained insight into what has happened in the last four drafts, from a medical perspective,” he said.
The number of visitors is projected to be more than 10 times Acrisure Stadium’s 68,400 seats, and more than double the city’s roughly 308,000 residents, so the health systems – both Level 1 trauma facilities – are expecting bumps and bruises, dehydration, intoxication, and other issues that are associated with large events.
The hospitals plan to set up tents, pop-up clinics, and command centers across the city to provide care for both minor issues like alcohol-related incidents as well as more serious medical issues. Doctors, nurses, and medical school residents will be equipped to triage and to treat beyond basic first-aid.
UPMC will have tents and pop-up care sites in high-traffic areas like Market Square, The Point, and at Acrisure Stadium, near the draft stage itself. AHN is also setting up a clinic in Market Square and will have a command center at Nova Place on the North Side.
In March, AHN doctors, nurses and volunteers simulated a mass casualty event, in preparation for the draft.
AHN’s Downtown Express Care will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. from Wednesday, April 22, through Saturday, April 25. The walk-in clinic will serve as a first-response point for non-emergency medical needs, including common illnesses and injuries.
“In anticipation of the significantly increased demand for medical services, we are committed to providing prompt and accessible care and ensuring our hospitals, and our downtown clinic at nearby Point State Park remain optimally prepared to serve all members of our community,” said AHN President Mark Sevco.
Pittsburgh is no stranger to events that draw large crowds, including the U.S. Open Golf Championship hosted in Oakmont, the annual Pittsburgh Marathon and the Three Rivers Regatta, and Taylor Swift and Kenny Chesney concerts, among others.
AHN says patients with previously scheduled primary care appointments downtown during the draft and festivities will have the option to use video instead, which will help to alleviate foot and vehicle traffic.
Yealy said Pittsburgh is fortunate to have three Level 1 trauma centers and additional acute trauma centers in the area.
“Instead of one or two places having to shoulder the load, we have several hospitals within a short drive,” said Yealy. “I don’t think people realize how advanced the medical care we have available here is.”