Three Idahoans over the age of 55 died from heat-related complications in the past week, state health officials announced Thursday.
The cluster of deaths — the first heat-related deaths reported in Idaho this year — came as temperatures in the state were often above 90 degrees. Wildfires have also pushed most Idaho counties into air quality advisories recently, with some reaching thresholds classified as unhealthy.
The three Idahoans who had heat-related deaths all lived in different communities in southern Idaho, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare announced in a news release. Officials did not clarify which specific areas of the vast region that the people who died lived in.
As temperatures rise, state health officials urge people to be aware of heat-related illness symptoms and treatments. Last year, 180 people died of heat-related illness in the U.S., the National Weather Service reports.
Signs of a heatstroke — the most serious heat-related illness and a medical emergency — include high body temperature, hot and skin, confusion or seizures, nausea, dizziness and fainting, the state health department says.
People experiencing these symptoms who cannot get medical care should call 911 immediately and move to a cooler place and use wet cloths or ice to lower body temperature, including applying them to the head, neck, armpits and groin or giving them a cool bath or soaking their clothes with cool water. People having a heat stroke should not drink, as they may accidentally inhale the fluid rather than swallowing it.
Heat exhaustion may occur before a heatstroke, with symptoms like tiredness, weakness, irritability, thirst, headache, nausea, muscle cramps and cold, clammy skin. People with heat exhaustion symptoms should move to a cooler place, loosen clothes, use cool clothes or a cold bath and sip cool water frequently. If they vomit or symptoms worsen or last longer than an hour, seek medical help.
Staying cool and hydrated is key. Here’s how:
Originally published on idahocapitalsun.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.
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