Maryland officials urge residents to be prepared ahead of ‘excessive heat watch’ weekend

Dehydration is caused by not drinking enough water. The amount of water necessary to keep someone hydrated depends greatly on the weather, the amount of physical activity, and an individual's physical fitness level. The symptoms of dehydration include lethargy, headaches and lack of energy. (Photo by U.S. Army Sgt. Timothy R. Koster)

State officials are warning Marylanders to stay cool and protect family and neighbors from “preventable” heat-related sicknesses, such as heat stroke, as temperatures are expected to climb to nearly 100 degrees this weekend and could feel even hotter.

“It doesn’t take long to get into trouble,” said Clifford S. Mitchell, director of the Environmental Health Bureau in the state Department of Health.

Shortly after noon Friday, the National Weather Service issued a “heat advisory” for most of the state for the weekend. The agency also issued an  “excessive heat watch” for northeast Maryland with “dangerously hot conditions” expected.

“Oppressive heat and humidity will overspread the area Saturday and last into Sunday. Little relief from the heat is expected Saturday night with low temperatures in mid 70s to near 80 for most, which will compound heat stress on those without air conditioning,” according to the urgent weather message from the National Weather Service’s Baltimore/Washington office.

High moisture levels this weekend could make temperatures feel as high as 107 degrees out in some parts of the state. The advisory extends to portions of Washington, D.C., and Virginia.

The Maryland Department of Health issued tips and reminders on how you can stay cool this weekend and protect your family from the heat:

Fluids

• Increase fluid intake and start drinking fluids before you feel thirsty.

• Continue to drink fluids after strenuous activities.

• Avoid alcohol, caffeine and drinks with large amounts of sugar.

• When hydrating, avoid very cold drinks as they can cause stomach cramps.

Outdoor activities

• When possible, avoid physical activities between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. when the sun is at its peak intensity.

• Apply sunscreen at least 30 minute prior to going outdoors. Use a sunscreen with a minimum SPF 15 and reapply as necessary.

• Rest frequently underneath shade.

• Wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing and wide-brimmed hats to keep your head cool. Also wear sunglasses to protect your eyes.

Other tips

• Never leave dogs or children inside a parked vehicle on hot days.

• Check with doctors or pharmacists about over-the-counter and prescription medications. Some medications can increase your sensitivity to heat-related illnesses.

• Call 2-1-1 to find out where the nearest “cooling centers” are located across the state. The locations of cooling centers can move, state officials said.

Gov. Wes Moore (D) declared a “state of preparedness” in an executive order Thursday that authorized state agencies to coordinate and prepare for potential emergency situations that could arise from extreme heat.

“Transportation, power utility, water utility, and other critical infrastructures may be negatively affected by the impacts of extreme heat; specifically, prolonged extreme heat can overwhelm the power grid, increase water demand, and increase heat-related illness resulting in capacity issues at healthcare facilities,” the order says.

Meanwhile, unions representing laborers who work outdoors are still waiting on new state standards that would help protect workers from heat exposure both indoors and outdoors. Discussion of those regulations began during the Hogan administration, and while they are nearing completion, they are not yet finalized.

“Maryland Occupational Safety and Health programs are currently in the process of discussing a heat standard,” Mitchell said. “Though it is not yet formally adopted, but it certainly recognizes that as the planet warms and conditions grow hotter, workers … need to be taking care to protect themselves, and their employers do as well.”

Outdoor and construction workers are one of the many vulnerable populations that are most at risk of a heat-related illness. Others include young children, senior citizens, the homeless population and people with chronic diseases.

Health officials urge residents to pay close attention to any symptoms that indicate heat-related illnesses.

“People really should be listening to their bodies. And if they are starting to feel a little uncomfortable and they’re out in the heat, do not wait,” Mitchell said. “Get yourself inside, get yourself in a place where it’s cool and where you can get some water to drink.”

A common ailment from excessive heat is painful muscle cramps from performing physical activities in high temperatures, due to the loss of electrolytes and fluids that occurs when sweating.

But heat exposure can lead to other serious health conditions, some of which are fatal. People should look for signs of heat exhaustion or a heat stroke and call an ambulance to receive emergency medical care.

“Anytime you have somebody with an altered mental status … So they’re having a bit of trouble answering questions clearly, or they seem a little confused,” Mitchell said. “That’s an emergency situation.

“If you feel their skin is dry, that means their sweating mechanism has failed or been overwhelmed. And that to me is a medical emergency that requires immediate medical attention,” he said. He added that vomiting and nausea are also signs of more serious heat-related illnesses.

“Those are all urgent medical problems,” he said.

The Maryland Department of Health has already recorded the first heat-related death of the summer. In June, it announced that a 59-year-old Prince George’s County man had died due to heat-related causes.

But Mitchell wants to stress that anyone can experience unpleasant or even lethal heat-related illnesses.

“Even if you’re a young healthy person, you don’t want to take the heat for granted,” Mitchell said. “What we’re wanting to emphasize is that … these are preventable illnesses and injuries and deaths. If people intervene early, we can prevent the most severe consequences and it’s one of the reasons we urge people to look out for their neighbors and their loved ones.”

According to weekly data from the health department, there have already been at least 166 visits to Maryland emergency rooms due to heat-related illnesses so far this year. Of those, 72, or a little more than 40%, came in the first two weeks of June, the recent date for which data is available.

The data also showed 106 heat-related calls for emergency medical service during the first two weeks of the month. And this is the time of year when ER and EMS calls for heat-related illnesses have started to spike in past years, according to the data.

The Heat-Related Illness Surveillance Report period runs from May through September each year.

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