FAIRHOPE, Ala. (WALA) – A heat dome settling over the Gulf Coast is pushing heat index values well into the triple digits through the weekend, prompting warnings from healthcare officials in Baldwin County.
Doctors recommend limiting time outdoors and sun exposure during the hottest part of the day(WALA)
Thomas Hospital in Fairhope has reported a spike in heat-related hospital visits, with that number reaching nearly 50 by the end of July.
Who is most at risk
Dr. Nathan Roseberry, a third-year internal medicine resident, said certain groups face a higher danger during extreme heat events.
“The biggest folks you have to watch out for really are your young folks and our older folks,” Roseberry said. “They’re at an increased risk of heat-related illnesses and then, your population of workers that work outside.”
Doctors at Thomas Hospital said overheating and dehydration go hand in hand, with dehydration ranking as the fifth most diagnosed health issue coming through the emergency room.
To reduce the risk of heat-related illness, doctors recommend limiting time outdoors and sun exposure during the hottest part of the day and managing water intake.
“This time of year specifically when we’re dealing with heat of this severity, you really want to push it to a point where you feel like you’re overdoing it,” Roseberry said. “Pre-hydrating is great. Our body’s going to naturally regulate how much water we’re holding on to, so I always try and encourage people to drink during their heat exposure or during exercise or during their time working outdoors.”
Keeping your home cool
Baldwin EMC said its operations center continuously monitors demand on its system. The utility said grid updates and regular maintenance have prevented any demand-related outages this summer.
Mark Ingram of Baldwin EMC said the company offers resources to help customers manage energy costs.
“We have energy marketing specialists. They’ll be glad to come to your home and do an energy audit of your home to tell you what improvements you need to make like sealing up some of the windows, adding additional insulation or putting insulation around doors, sealing cracks — things like that,” Ingram said. “One thing that’s always good to do is change your air filter at least once a month to help your air conditioner be more efficient as well, too.”
Warning signs of overheating
Fatigue, weakness, headache and a cessation of sweating are signs the body is overheating and require cooling down and rehydration. Dizziness and loss of mental clarity are more serious indicators of heatstroke and warrant a call to 9-1-1.
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