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With the Dallas-Fort Worth area on track to hit 100-degree weather records this summer, emergency responders have reported a dramatic increase in responses to heat-related emergencies.
MedStar, the regional governmental EMS authority for Fort Worth and 14 other cities in North Texas, has more than doubled the number of heat-related responses this summer. The group reported 455 heat-related responses from May 1-July 11, 2022, up from 211 total responses during the same period in 2021.
“I don’t think anybody really has any idea what’s going on,” chief transformation officer Matt Zavadsky said.
He postulated the prolonged extreme heat, the ease of pandemic social restrictions, the influx of new residents to the area and even inflation could all explain the dramatic increase.
“Last year at the beginning of the summer, a lot of folks were still sort of sequestered or locked down from the pandemic,” Zavadsky said. “So they weren’t out and parks and lakes and pools and all that sort of stuff.”
While North Texas usually experiences high temperatures, Zavadsky said 2021′s summer had a “mild beginning” as compared to this year, which is on its way to breaking several records. Residents new to the area might not be prepared for just how hot it’s been, he said.
Transports to area hospitals are up 103% this year, with 305 total transports as of July 11. This time last year, there were 150 transports. Of those transported, 81 were in serious condition, up from 46 in 2021.
However, the total number of those in critical condition has remained relatively stable, with 15 reported as of July 11, up only one patient from the previous year in the same time period.
MedStar crews reported the most calls came from streets and highway locations, with probable victims of construction workers and homeless people. Of the 127 from these locations, 70% were male.
Another significant location for heat-illnesses has been within residences, with 72 calls coming from single family residences. Twenty-one of those in need were over 65 years old.
“The question then becomes, are these people who got a heat related illness somewhere else, went home and then called us, or are they trying to conserve money?” Zavadsky said. “Because everything is so much more expensive now.”
Electricity rates in Texas have surged 70% this summer, as natural gas prices have increased.
Dallas Fire-Rescue reported a triple increase in responses to environmental emergencies this summer. From May 1-July 12, 2022, the department responded to 239 emergencies, as opposed to 71 during the same period in 2021.
Jason Evans, the department’s public information officer, attributed the rise to the hot weather early this summer.
“In addition to ensuring situational awareness among our own members, so they don’t become victims of heat-related illnesses; we are also encouraging residents to follow some of the basic safety tips like staying hydrated, and wearing loose fitting, lightweight and light colored clothing,” the department said in a statement.
The department also encouraged residents to utilize the Dallas’s recreation centers, “which are serving as cooling stations during normal business hours (typically 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.).”
Dallas opened two cooling centers this summer at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center and at the West Dallas Multipurpose Center.
Zavadsky said MedStar has responded to four calls for children left in a hot car this summer. Children’s Health in Dallas said in a written statement young children should never be left in the car unattended, even with the air conditioning on. They recommended creating reminders to check your backseat before leaving your car by leaving your phone or purse in the back seat.
A child’s body temperature heats up three to five times faster than an adult.
Know the signs of heat exhaustion, stroke
Heat exhaustion symptoms include dry mouth, dizziness and excessive sweating. If untreated, the illness can progress to heatstroke, a more severe condition that requires hospitalization.
“If the thought comes into your mind that you should call 911, you should call us,” Zavadsky said. He recommended calling as soon as the patient experiences “an altered level of consciousness.”
Heatstroke occurs when the body loses its ability to regulate temperature on its own; its symptoms include vomiting, skin hot to the touch, muscle cramps, loss of consciousness, and a fast heart rate.
“If you see any of the warning signs of heat stroke, you may be dealing with a life-threatening emergency,” Jeffery Metzger, chief of emergency services at Parkland Health, said in an email. “Have someone call 911 for immediate medical assistance while you begin cooling the victim.”
While waiting for medical assistance, Metzger recommended moving the patient to a shaded area, and using cool water such as shower, garden hose or sponge to reduce their body temperature. Do not use an ice bath. If the victim is unconscious or “very confused,” do not give them fluids to drink.
First responders themselves are at risk of heat-related illness due to gear, equipment and prolonged exposure outside, Metzger said.
“The insulative qualities of firefighting gear are such that they can place firefighters at increased risk for heat-related issues even when the temperatures are cool,” Dallas Fire-Rescue Fire Chief Dominique Artis said in a press release. “It’s for that reason that we encourage our members to properly hydrate long before, as well as during and after, having to exert themselves at the scene of a fire or any other incident.”
A hotter than normal summer
The weather is currently close to breaking multiple records.
Monday was the 18th day of 100-degree heat in DFW, according to the National Weather Service in Fort Worth. Dallas has typically seen 10-20 100-degree days each year in the past decade.
2011 holds the record of 71 total 100-degree days. Monday marked the 8th consecutive 100-degree day of the year of the heat wave and temperatures are expected to top 100 degrees every day this week.
ERCOT issued a conservation alert Monday, though blackouts were largely avoided. The group reported a new record of 78,379 megawatts of use around 4:40 p.m. and has forecasted just over 79,000 megawatts on Tuesday.
A heat advisory and an Air Quality Alert (Ozone Action Day) remains in effect for DFW.
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