Heat-related emergency calls lower than same time last year; LDH releases heat-illness prevention program
BATON ROUGE - Monday and Tuesday were under a heat advisory, with the index reaching as high as 111 degrees.
But this summer is not nearly as hot as last year. This time last year, East Baton Rouge EMS responded to 45 heat-related calls. This year there have only been 21 calls.
There are tell-tale signs if someone you or someone you know is suffering from heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
Heat exhaustion comes before a stroke and has symptoms such as heavy sweating, cold and pale skin, nausea, and muscle cramps.
A heat stroke is the opposite with no sweating, fainting, confusion, and a body temperature of up to 104 degrees.
If someone is suffering from a stroke you are advised to call 911 immediately.
Arien Morgan with EBR EMS says hydration is key to preventing yourself from becoming a victim of a heat-related incident.
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"Pre-hydrating you know. The night before, you want to make sure you're taking in your water, taking in sports drinks, electrolyte packs and every thirty minutes, drink water, you know, alternate a sports drink. The biggest thing is limiting your time outside during the hottest part of the day. If you don't have to go outside during the middle of the day, don't," Morgan said.
Another way to stay hydrated is to skip your daily Starbucks run.
"Another big thing is avoiding caffeine and high-sugar drinks. So the sugary drinks and the caffeine are all that you wanna try to avoid during the heat. Like I said, focus more on the water, on your sports drinks, there are so many hydration packets out there you can add to your water bottle and to your glass of water," Morgan said.
The Louisiana Department of Health recently a heat-related illnesses dashboard on their website which provides, facts, tips and any information you're curious about. Click here to see the dashboard.