With temperatures hitting the upper 90s and heat indices well over 100 degrees, heat-related illnesses can overtake anyone who doesn’t stop to take precautions.
People who do not have access to air conditioning can cool off at the Salvation Army Citadel, 327 Constitution St.
“If they do need to come and sit in the cool of our chapel, they are very welcome to do so,” said Becky Gentry, Salvation Army social worker.
Gentry said that Westar Energy had donated 40 fans to the agency and all but six of them have been distributed. People who need a fan and can qualify may apply at the citadel.
“They’re meant for the people who cannot afford to go to the store and buy a fan,” Gentry said.
Some people are employed, she said as an example, but medical expenses may leave them without the money to buy a fan.
“Sometimes income is not an indicator. It’s not complicated to get a fan. We try to make it as simple as possible.”
Elderly people are especially vulnerable to the effects of extreme heat, according to Pam Kvas, director of the emergency department at Newman Regional Health.
Kvas emphasized that it is important to keep a watchful eye on elderly neighbors.
“In Emporia, that really is the most vulnerable population,” Kvas said. “Some of them can’t afford to run an air conditioner even if they have it.”
She suggested checking in daily and, because elderly people dehydrate easily, making sure they have access to water or sports-type drinks that are low in sugar and high in electrolytes.
The emergency department had not treated anyone for heat-related illnesses as of this morning.
“But we may see that by this weekend,” Kvas said.
Some workers, such as roofers and ranchers, don’t have the luxury of controlling their work environments. They sometimes can, however, control the hours they work. And they may have the added advantage of being accustomed to hot weather.
“The good thing about people who have to work out in the heat all day is that they’re more used to it than those of us who work inside,” said Nancy LeClear, marketing and education director for Newman. “I do think you build a little bit more of a tolerance for the heat when you’re used to being out in it.”
Some outside workers also may be able to adjust their hours by going to work at 5 a.m. and quitting by mid-afternoon on hot days.
“However, the same principles apply: drinking plenty of fluids, limiting your exposure, looking at working in the morning and the evening, and avoiding those afternoon hours would certainly be something if you can, to do,” LeClear said.
The KDHE Web site states that people who are at high risk of heat-related illnesses include infants and children up to four years, adults over 65, people taking certain medications provoked by heat, people who work in extreme heat, and those who have chronic medical conditions, such as heart disease or obesity.
Heat-related illnesses include heat stress, heat exhaustion or heat stroke. The symptoms of those illnesses are:
F Heat stress — faintness, painful muscle spasms and cramps, prickly heat caused by skin rash from clogged pores. Heat stress is caused by loss of fluids and minerals in the body needed for proper muscle function.
F Heat exhaustion — a more serious illness that includes headache, dizziness, clammy skin, muscle fatigue, chest pain, breathing problems and nausea. Medical attention is necessary if conditions persist.
F Heat stroke — a life-threatening condition that should be considered an emergency. Symptoms include headache, hot and dry skin, temperature of 103 degrees or more, rapid and shallow breathing, disorientation and changes in consciousness. Cool the victim quickly with cold, wet sheets or a cool bath, and take to the nearest hospital.
KDHE recommends the following to help avoid heat-related illnesses:
- Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Drink at least a gallon of water a day if you must spend time outdoors.
- Avoid alcohol and caffeinated beverages, which dehydrate the body.
- Wear loose, light-colored clothing.
- Dress children in light clothing and make sure they take frequent breaks indoors and drink plenty of fluids.
- Never leave a child in a hot, closed car or near a sunny window.
- Apply sunscreen of SPF 50 to reduce young children’s risk of sunburn.
- Keep infants out of the sun.
- Check elderly friends and relatives periodically and take them to a cooler environment, if needed.
- Take cool showers.
- Take frequent breaks to cool off.
- Eat light meals, like fruits and salads.
- Eat apricots, bananas, cantaloupes, oranges, beans, broccoli, potatoes and tomatoes to increase potassium, which is lost in perspiration.
- Use sunscreen and wear sunglasses to limit exposure to ultraviolet rays.
Animals need to be provided with plenty of fresh water, veterinarian Duane Henrikson said. If possible, pets need to be inside during extreme heat.
“Provide good shade if they can’t come in,” Henrikson said. Good ventilation also is important, he added.
“In other words, not in an unventilated trailer house that the air conditioner goes off during the day because of a brown-out,” he said.
Pets should not be left in vehicles while their owners go into stores to shop.
Older dogs and puppies, like elderly humans and infants, need more protection from the heat, he said.
“Definitely, if they can come in out of the heat, it’s a little better for them,” Henrikson said. “It would be nice if they could be in with the fan or air conditioning.”
Use judgment to avoid strenuous activity and don’t let them overdo.
“Some of the bigger dogs, like black Labs, may need a kiddie pool to give them something to cool off in,” he said.
Henrikson reminded pet owners that with the high heat and humidity, flies have become a problem for animals living outside.
“They like to attack the ears,” Henrikson said. “Keep kennels clean, apply some kind of repellent on the dog’s head and ears to help repel the flies.”