Philly has seen its first heat-related death of the summer
The best ways to stay safe in extreme heat are to hydrate, avoid being outside as much as possible, and stay indoors with air-conditioning or fans.
One person died due to heat-related complications on June 27, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health said Wednesday, which is the first heat-related death of the summer. The person also had drug complications and had been hospitalized before being pronounced dead.
This summer, which saw one of the warmest Junes on record, Philadelphia has experienced 19 days of temperatures reaching 90 degrees or higher. In the last 50 years, only three other summers had more through July 11.
Despite this, Philadelphia heat death tolls have fallen since the 1990s — with just one last year and 44 from 2013 through 2022, compared to 400 between 1992 and 2002. The city’s health department is credited with revolutionizing how the world counts heat-related deaths and also with how cities changed their heat-response systems to save lives.
How to stay safe during this heat?
High temperatures can be dangerous, according to the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, but there are ways to stay safe and prevent illness during days of extreme heat.
The best ways to stay safe are to hydrate, avoid being outside as much as possible, and stay indoors with air-conditioning or fans. The city provides assistance for those needing help paying utility bills.
Another thing the city recommends is to notice signs of heat-related illness. Common symptoms are heavy sweating and painful muscle spasms, often in the abdomen, arms, or calves. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, move to a cooler location, limit physical activity, and drink water. If cramps continue longer than one hour, seek medical attention.
When spending time outdoors, watch for symptoms of heat exhaustion, including heavy sweating, headache, weakness, fatigue, dizziness, fainting, nausea, and vomiting. If these symptoms occur, move to a cool location, hydrate, and take a cool shower or bath. Once again, if the symptoms go on longer than one hour, seek medical attention.
Those who are infants, children, or 65 years old or older, or have chronic medical conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and other respiratory ailments are at a higher risk for heat-related illness and death.