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Prince George's County Fire officials are now crediting President Barack Obama for helping with dozens of people who became ill Thursday at a Democratic rally in Bowie.

Prince George's County Fire spokesperson Mark Brady says during Obama's speech at Bowie State University, the President paused twice to "direct firefighter/medics to locations near the front of the stage where supporters had fallen ill."

Brady says three dozen people were treated at the triage area and then released. He says only two of those people required hospitalization and that most illnesses were exhaustion and dehydration. One person suffered a bee sting.

Brady says the Secret Service helped the fire/EMS crew respond quickly to the people who needed help. 

According to Brady, the department was first notified around 1:45 p.m. About a person down near the media area. After that time, there were other reports of sick and fainting people. Additional crews were called in to help with the amount of people that needed assistance.

The temperature was a 71 degrees at the time, with a breeze and no humidity but the sun was bright and bearing down on rally attendees, says Brady. Some people showed up hours earlier than the start time and stood in a packed crowd until the event.

For more on what happened at the rally in Bowie, click here to watch Brad Bell's report.