‘There’s No Heat Vaccine’: EMSA Advises Precautions With Summer Heat

The daytime temperatures keep climbing and it's getting dangerous. EMSA said so far this month it's responding to more calls for heat-illness. Their office shared ways to stay safe outdoors. 

Record temperatures continue to beat down across the country.  

“The heat can start affecting your body within two minutes,” said Adam Paluka, chief public affairs officer for EMSA.  

The heat in Oklahoma is no joke. Just last Thursday EMSA responded to 14 heat-related illness calls and they took nine people to the hospital.

“Those numbers are just off the charts,” Paluka said.

Paluka said inconsistent temperatures offer people a false sense of security.   

“Folks aren’t preparing like they should, and number two, the heat is probably surprising folks,” Paluka said. 

Of course, an obvious remedy is drinking a lot of water, but health experts say it’s best to drink a lot of water the day before you spend extra time outside.  

“Between 60 and 80 ounces of water the day before,” Paluka said. 

Health experts say, if a person is out in intense heat and they’re not sweating, heat stroke is beginning to set in. 

“Heat stroke means that your body is actively shutting down because it is too hot, and it does not know how to operate,” Paluka said. 

Paluka wants to shine a light on the consequences of heat stroke.  

“The ultimate consequence is death,” Paluka said.

People who survive have a long journey.   

“Heat stroke is very hard to come back from,” Paluka said.

 Everyone is at risk without the right preparation.   

“There’s no heat vaccine,” Paluka said. 

The heat doesn’t discriminate.  

“Our common denominator for heat-related illnesses is people are outside,” Paluka said. 

Weather awareness can save a trip to the hospital and a person’s life.