COEUR d'ALENE - Despite whisperings that Ironman Coeur d'Alene will be adjusted because of the heat, health and fire officials have confirmed that today's race will continue as planned.

"At this point, it looks like we're going to go on with no more changes," Coeur d'Alene Deputy Fire Chief Tom Greif said around 3 p.m. Saturday. "We know the weather is going to be extreme. We're comfortable with the resources we have for the event. We have everybody that we can possibly have working."

Greif is in charge of emergency medical services for the race and while he said Ironman is covered, it's the community at large that raises the most concerns.

"Where our comfort level isn't at is trying to balance the 911 calls from everyday calls outside the event and how they're going to impact each other," he said.

Coeur d'Alene Fire, Kootenai Health and Ironman teleconferenced with the National Weather Service Saturday afternoon. Greif said the worst part of the day is going to be from noon to 6 p.m. when the mercury reaches 104 degrees.

"That's the time the exposure of the sun can have the most damage," he said.

Dr. Walt Fairfax, Kootenai Health's chief medical officer, voiced concerns in an interview with KXLY about the wellness of the spectators and the hospital's ability to keep up with what could be an extremely high volume of emergency room patients.

"We are at almost capacity in our emergency room every day and so you put a few additional patients in that environment, especially if they are very sick, and we could be at significant risk," Fairfax said.

He said people in this area are not acclimated to such severe weather. He said shortening the course would help reduce heat-related illnesses and injuries, but it is ultimately up to Ironman to alter the race.

"I mean, you spend eight hours waiting for your loved one on the side of the Ironman course in 108 degree temperatures with your feet melting into the asphalt, you're going to feel it," he said. "They have to be aware they are going to be standing on asphalt that may be 150 degrees and they are going to be standing out in the sun with no shade. They have to be taking care of themselves."

Lisa Aitken, Kootenai Health's community relations coordinator, said the hospital is stocked up on supplies and bracing itself for a busy day.

"We're ordering additional supplies, including IV fluids, to be ready for an influx of patients coming to the hospital," she said. "We are also increasing staff to be able to provide care for the patients."

She said while the hospital has given guidance and expressed its opinion on health concerns, Ironman and its representatives have been respectful in their work to run as safe a race as possible.

"They want to be good guests and are taking it very seriously," Aitken said.

As of Friday, Ironman Operations Manager Keats McGonigal was confident about running Ironman as planned.

"Based on the current forecasts, we are completely comfortable with hosting the full race," he said.

In comparison, Spokane Fire Department Assistant Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer said Hoopfest, which also took place this scorching weekend, proved to be an extremely busy time for first responders. Hoopfest is a two-day, three-on-three basketball tournament that attracts about 250,000 people to downtown Spokane.

"This heat has really complicated the situation here at Hoopfest in Spokane," he said. "Resources are extremely taxed. There are times when everyone is responding to a call."

He said their EMS were at 75 percent capacity before the heat of the day even hit, and that teams had responded to several critical, possibly heat-related calls. He also confirmed that more people needed medical help than in previous years.

"We're up to our necks with heat," he said.

Ironman spectators and those who are outdoors are encouraged to stay out of the heat, stay hydrated, take care of themselves and watch out for the wellness of their neighbors.

Today's schedule

- The following is an updated timeline for the race:

5:30 a.m. - Pro Men

5:35 a.m. - Pro Women

5:45 a.m. - Rolling Age-Group Start

8:20 a.m. - Swim cut-off

12:30 p.m. - First Bike cut-off (Any rider who has not made the start of the second lap by 12:30 p.m. will not be allowed to continue).

3:15 p.m. - Second bike cut-off (Highway 95 turn-around).

4:30 p.m. - Official bike cut-off

8 p.m. - Run cut-off at halfway point of run (Lakeside turn-around)

9:30 p.m. - Second run cut-off (Bennett Bay Hill)

11 p.m. - Race officially ends