An excessive heat warning continues to plague the Dallas-Fort Worth area as high temperatures are expected to remain above 100 degrees through the weekend, putting residents at risk of heat exhaustion and heatstroke.
The National Weather Service’s Fort Worth office asked North Texans to take precautions during the warning, including drinking plenty of water and taking breaks in the shade to avoid heat-related illnesses.
The excessive heat continues today with mainly triple digit temps and heat index values as high as 115. The heat will remain through the middle of next week with only some slight relief on the weekend. #dfwwx #txwx #ctxwx pic.twitter.com/9q3H9yJMre
— NWS Fort Worth (@NWSFortWorth) July 13, 2023
Heat exhaustion is marked by symptoms including dry mouth, dizziness and excessive sweating, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
If heat exhaustion isn’t treated, it can progress to heatstroke, which is more severe and happens when the body’s temperature rises rapidly, the sweating mechanism fails and the body loses the ability to regulate temperature on its own.
Unlike heat exhaustion, heatstroke requires hospitalization.
While both illnesses are common this time of year, ambulance service MedStar says they can be easily prevented by following five tips:
- Hydrate: Drink plenty of water during the day, especially if you are engaged in any strenuous activity. Sports drinks are also a good choice if you’re exercising or working in hot conditions.
- Ventilate: Stay in a place where there is plenty of air circulating to keep your body cool. If you are indoors and don’t have access to air conditioning, open windows and use a fan.
- Cover up: Wear light-colored and loose-fitting clothing to avoid absorbing the sun’s light and trapping heat. Wear a hat to shield yourself from the sun, but once you feel yourself getting warm, remove any items covering your head, as they can trap heat close to your body.
- Limit activity: Heatstroke can occur in less than an hour when you are participating in strenuous activity on a hot day. If you feel yourself getting hot or light-headed, stop and rest in a cool place out of the sun. Be sure to drink water or a sports drink before, during and after any strenuous activity.
- Check on loved ones: The elderly are especially vulnerable to heat-related emergencies and may not be aware of how hot it may get in their homes. Call on older friends and family members regularly to make sure they are OK.
MedStar said Wednesday that it was implementing its extreme-weather protocol during the heat advisory, which means patients who are in unprotected areas will receive a higher-priority response in the heat.
Since Monday, emergency crews for MedStar, which serves Fort Worth and its surrounding area, have treated 30 people for heat-related illnesses, with 18 sent to area hospitals, spokesman Matt Zavadsky said Wednesday evening. Eleven people were treated on Wednesday alone, with eight transported to hospitals.
Staff writers Nataly Keomoungkhoun and Isabella Volmert contributed to this report.
