SAVANNAH, Ga. () — With the summer heat intensifying, authorities are advising residents to prioritize both personal health and home safety to avert any potential summer crises.
Dr. James Gill, an emergency physician at St. Joseph’s/Candler, highlighted the importance of distinguishing between heat exhaustion and heat stroke to effectively respond to such heat-related conditions.
According to Dr. Gill, symptoms like feeling dizzy, overly tired, and experiencing nausea are indicative of heat exhaustion, which results from losing too much water.
People may experience heat exhaustion differently, influenced by factors such as medication usage, age, and their overall medical history.
Dr. Gill noted, “Those without medical issues or not taking medications generally have more resilience compared to older individuals or those with conditions like COPD, diabetes, or heart disease.”
Heat stroke, on the other hand, can cause one to become confused, have the inability to stand and even vomit because your body cannot cool itself down.
Dr. Gill said that when the heat causes extreme dehydration, it can cause rhabdomyolysis or tissue breakdown, causing the muscles to cramp and contract.
“It can become a problem in the sense of damaging the kidneys if it gets extreme,” said Dr. Gill.
While protecting your body is important, officials said protecting your home from the risk of a fire should also be on your radar.
Chatham County Fire Department (CCFD) Safety and Training Division Chief Joshua Anderson said intense heat causes moisture to evaporate more quickly, creating drier conditions and increasing the risk for fire when heat sources are involved.
He warns residents to be mindful of potential hazards that they may not expect to catch on fire. According to a CCFD spokesperson, the items below are susceptible to combustion, depending on storage and heat exposure:
- lithium-ion batteries
“I don’t want anyone to think that they can’t grill or anything like that, just be safe around it,” said Anderson. “Make sure that you’re not too close to the house when you’re grilling. Make sure that you do have water sources available in case something does happen.”
For more safety tips during times of high heat, click or tap here.