Know the dangers of heat-related illnesses so that you can protect your health during hot weather events.
Heat-related deaths and illnesses are preventable, however, many people still suffer from extreme heat. People experience heat-related illness when their bodies are unable to properly cool themselves.
Extreme heat is defined as summertime temperatures that are hotter or more humid than average for the location and time of year. Increased humidity can make it seem hotter than it is.
Extreme heat events can affect many different people depending on where they live, their income, age, profession, activities they participate in, and their medical conditions. As extreme heat events become more common in the United States, increased understanding of heat-related illnesses, and how to prevent them, is important.Heat Safety Tips and Managing or Canceling Events During a Heat Event
The following sections outline common health conditions associated with extreme heat and what you can do to protect yourself and loved ones.
Heat stroke occurs when the body is unable to regulate its temperature and is the most dangerous form of heat-related illness. During a heat stroke, the body’s temperature rises rapidly, up to 106°F within 10 to 15 minutes, the sweating mechanism fails, and the body cannot cool down. Without emergency treatment, heat stroke can cause death or permanent disability.
Symptoms
What To Do
If you see any of these signs, get immediate medical assistance.1
Heat exhaustion can develop after several days of exposure to high temperatures and inadequate replacement of fluids. The result is heat exhaustion which is the body’s response to an excessive loss of the water and salt that comprises sweat. Those prone to heat exhaustion are the elderly, people with high blood pressure and people working or exercising in a hot environment.
Symptoms
What To Do
Seek medical attention if any of these symptoms are severe.
Heat cramps tend to affect people who sweat a lot during strenuous activity. Such sweating reduces the body's salt and moisture levels. Low salt levels are usually the cause of heat cramps along with a symptom of heat exhaustion.
Symptoms
What To Do
Sunburns should be avoided because they can damage the skin. Most sunburns are considered to be mild, but a more severe sunburn may require medical attention.
Symptoms
The skin becomes:
What To Do
Treating sunburn typically does not require medical assistance. People should seek medical attention if they:
Heat rash is a skin irritation caused by excessive sweating during hot and/or humid weather. Heat rash is especially common in young children.
Symptoms
Heat rash looks like a red cluster of pimples or small blisters. It generally occurs on the neck, upper chest, in the groin, under the breasts or in elbow creases.
What To Do
Treating heat rash does not typically require medical assistance.
Some individuals are at greater risk for heat-related illness than others, and this can be due to multiple factors including how old they are, what health conditions they have, where they live, work or recreate, and their age. Luckily, there are ways to reduce risk for yourself and for others. Learn more about how to protect yourself and your loved ones during a heat event.
People who exercise in extreme heat are more likely to experience heat-related illness and dehydration. However, there are steps that individuals can take to protect themselves during heat events.3
Know the signs of heat-related illness.
Infants and young children are vulnerable to heat-related illness because they need others to ensure their well-being during hot weather. Parents and caregivers should know the signs of heat-related illness and follow recommendations for keeping cool during heat events.4
Here are a few more things for parents and caregivers to keep in mind:
Never leave children and infants in a parked car
According to the CDC, children are at greatest risk for heat stroke and even death when left unattended in a car. Even when it’s cool out, cars can heat up to dangerous temperatures quickly. Cracking a window is often not enough to offset the high temperatures inside—a car can heat up by 20°F within 10 minutes—even with a window open.
Check on infants and young children—make sure they are staying cool and hydrated
Dress children and infants in lightweight, light-colored, loose clothing. Make sure they’re getting plenty to drink, and avoid drinks that contain a lot of sugar or drinks that are very cold.
Individuals living in lower-income households, and individuals from certain racial and ethnic communities are more likely to experience adverse outcomes due to heat events, and this has to do with a concept known as the heat island effect.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defined heat islands as “Urbanized areas that experience higher temperatures than outlying areas.”5 This is caused by the fact that paved surfaces, buildings and other structures found in cities absorb and reflect heat more readily than natural surfaces like forests, lakes and grasslands. This makes cities hotter.
Within cities and urban areas, there are higher concentrations of such structures in some areas interspersed with greener spaces in others. This results in “heat islands.” Essentially, these are parts of a city that are even hotter than other areas, as they typically have fewer greenspaces, trees and other heat-absorbing features. Residents in these areas are more likely to experience heat-related illness and death.6
According to a review of research conducted by the EPA, individuals with low incomes and those who are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color are more likely to live in areas where heat islands occur, and further, these tend to be areas that were historically redlined neighborhoods.6 Redlining, which is no longer legal, was the practice of outlining non-white neighborhoods on government maps to indicate areas that presented a greater financial risk for real estate investment.
Further Reading: Learn More About Redlining and the Inequity Caused by Heat Islands
People with chronic medical conditions are more vulnerable to extreme heat for several reasons. Chronic illness can include heart disease, mental illness, poor blood circulation and obesity, all of which are risk factors for heat-related illness.7
These medical conditions may make individuals less likely or less able to sense and respond to temperature changes, or they may have to take medications that can worsen the effects of extreme heat. For example, individuals who are overweight or obese tend to retain more body heat, making it harder to stay cool.
People who are 65 and older are more susceptible to heat-related health issues than others, in part because older adults do not adjust to sudden changes in temperature as easily as younger people. Older adults are also more likely to have chronic medical conditions or take medications that change how the body responds to heat or affect the body’s ability to control body temperature and sweating.8
Older adults and caretakers should consider taking the following steps:
People who are pregnant are more likely to experience heat-related illnesses sooner than people who are not pregnant. A pregnant body must work harder to cool itself and the body of the developing baby. Pregnant people are also more likely to become dehydrated. When dehydrated, the body is less able to sweat and stay cool through sweating.
Hot environments, strenuous activity, or a combination of those can cause a pregnant person’s body temperature to rise. Higher-than-normal body temperature may harm a developing baby as increased body temperature and fever have been associated with pregnancy complications and birth defects.9
People who are pregnant should take the following precautions during extreme heat events:
Special consideration should be taken for workers who are likely to spend time working in the heat. For workplace guidance and information about how to plan ahead for hot working conditions, Washington state employers and employees should reference Washington State Department of Labor and Industries Outdoor Heat Exposure Rules.
See these resources from the American Veterinary Medical Association and The Humane Society of the United States for more comprehensive information about keeping pets safe during hot weather.
As part of the Spokane Beat the Heat initiative, the Gonzaga Center for Climate, Society and the Environment developed high-resolution maps of Spokane County’s urban heat distribution. Based on data from the 2021 Heat Dome event, these maps illustrate how much higher temperatures can be in some cities and neighborhoods during a heat event.
TIP: If you have trouble remembering to drink water throughout the day, set alarms on your phone, or consider downloading an app to help you time and track when you drink water. When choosing an app, make sure to look for an app that accounts for physical activity, like taking part in sports or moderate-to-heavy labor outdoors.
If you still want to find ways to spend some time outside, choose activities carefully and consider those that may help you to stay cool. For example, Spokane Parks and Recreation splash pads and pools are great places to cool down for free. Splash pads are operational from 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. at 19 parks (opening day varies), and six pools are open Mondays – Saturdays at varied hours.
Consider other ways to keep your home cooler.
There are also steps you can take before hot weather arrives to help keep your home cooler when the time comes. These include:
If you’re looking for ways to reduce the cost of keeping your home cool if you use air conditioning, consider increasing the temperature on your thermostat or setting it to adjust to different temperature settings throughout the day. Small increases in your home temperature—as little as 3°F—during the hottest part of the day when you may be at work provide more efficient energy use and can save money. Turn the fan switch to the “on” position instead of leaving it on “auto” to help circulate the air in your home. Also, close doors and vents inside unused rooms to conserve energy and force the cool air into the occupied areas of your home.15
Find more energy saving tips on the Avista Utilities website.
Qualifying households may also be able to find assistance with energy bills and home weatherization at SNAP.
Looking for ways to help others during heat events? SNAP and Gonzaga University’s Center for Climate, Society, and the Environment have partnered to create the Cooling Fund. Learn how your donations can support low-income community members who reach out to SNAP to access freestanding A/C or fans.
If you plan to check in on an adult friend, neighbor or relative who may be at risk during heat events, check in on them at least twice a day.8 Children and babies should be monitored much more frequently. Monitor carefully for signs of heat-related illness, and if you or someone you know exhibits signs of heat related illness, seek medical care immediately.14
Know where to go for information before and during heat events.
Suggested Links
1 “Heat Stress – Heat Related Illness,” National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, updated May 13, 2022, https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/heatstress/heatrelillness.html.
2 “Sun Exposure – Sunburn,” National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, updated May 31, 2018, https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/sunexposure/sunburn.html.
3 “Heat and Athletes,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, updated June 19, 2019, https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/athletes.html.
4 “Heat and Infants and Children,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, updated July 8, 2019, https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/children.html.
5 “Heat Island Effect,” United States Environmental Protection Agency, updated May 1, 2023, https://www.epa.gov/heatislands.
6 “Heat Islands and Equity,” United States Environmental Protection Agency, updated December, 12, 2022, https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/heat-islands-and-equity.
7 “Heat and People with Chronic Medical Conditions,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, updated June 19, 2017, https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/medical.html.
8 “Heat and Older Adults,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, updated June 19, 2017, https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/older-adults-heat.html.
9 “Heat and Pregnant Women,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, updated August 25, 2022, https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/heat_and_pregnant_women.html.
10 “Keep pets safe in the heat,” The Humane Society of the United States, accessed May 23, 2023, https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/keep-pets-safe-heat.
11 “Warm weather pet safety,” American Veterinary Medical Association, accessed May 23, 2023, https://www.avma.org/resources/pet-owners/petcare/warm-weather-pet-safety.
12 "Heat Stress – Hydration,” National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2017-126, accessed May 23, 2023, https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/userfiles/works/pdfs/2017-126.pdf.
13 “Heat Stress – Recommendations,” National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, updated June 6, 2018, https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/heatstress/recommendations.html.
14 “Tips for Preventing Heat-Related Illness,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, updated August 16, 2022, https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/heattips.html.
15 "No-Cost/Low-Cost Energy Saving Tips,” Avista, last accessed May 23, 2023, https://www.myavista.com/energy-savings/energy-saving-advice/diy-savings-tips.
