CHARLESTON, W.Va. — With dangerous heat and humidity making its way to West Virginia this weekend, health officials in Kanawha County are reminding residents to stay cool and drink lots of water to avoid heat-related illnesses.
“Do not ignore any warning signs,” said Matt Blalock, emergency medical dispatcher with Metro 911. “If you notice that you’re sweating more than as usual for you, then by all means, get inside, get somewhere cool and, above all, keep hydrated.”
Temperatures are expected to top out in the mid-90s this Friday through Sunday with heat indices well over 100 degrees, according to meteorologists.
“The more you push yourself, the more likely you are to go into heat exhaustion,” warned Matt Williamson, a registered nurse with the Kanawha County Ambulance Authority.
A press conference was held Thursday outside the KCAA building in Charleston where officials provided information regarding the symptoms of heat illness, heat exhaustion and — the most serious condition — heatstroke.
Heat illness symptoms include profuse sweating, fatigue, thirst and muscle cramps. If a person has heat exhaustion, they will likely experience a headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, moist and cool skin and dark urine.
“When you get hot, you sweat. When you stop sweating, it’s time to call 911 and get some help,” advised Dale Petry, director of Kanawha County Homeland Security and Emergency Management, about heatstroke which includes symptoms of a fever above 104, irrational behavior, dry, hot, red skin, rapid breathing, weak pulse, seizures and unconsciousness.
Officials are encouraging residents to stay in shaded areas this weekend or, better yet, indoors with air-conditioning.
To stay hydrated, Williamson said it’s important to drink electrolytes as well as water.
“Your Gatorade’s, your fitness water, things like that that have more than just water in them,” he said. “If you lose too many of your electrolytes, it can cause abnormalities with your heart, cause your heart to go into different rhythms that could ultimately kill you.”
Ambulance crews will be supplied with water, IVs and ice packs to assist patients who need to be transported to the hospital. Williamson said it helps to keep a cool ice pack with you. He said apply the ice pack to the back of the neck, armpit or groin area to try to lower the body temperature.
Extra water and ice will be provided to crews and residents helping with flood clean up this weekend in Elkview and Clendenin, Petry said.
“We’re trying to provide more resources to the people that’s going to be out here,” he said. “We’re trying to get water in areas that typically don’t have it. We still have ice in the Clendenin area for people that don’t have ice, don’t have electricity.”
Petry said the most important thing when assisting with the clean up is to take breaks from the sun as much as possible.
“Do most of your heavy lifting, if you have to do any, in the early morning. Early morning it’s cooler outside, the humidity’s not nearly as bad and take breaks every two hours,” he suggested.
To report an emergency, call 911. All other calls can be made to KCAA at 304-342-1107.