Emergency rooms in the Fort Smith River Valley are seeing a rise in heat-related illnesses as extreme temperatures, with heat indices reaching 110 to 115 degrees, impact the area.

Heat-Related Illnesses on the Rise

Baptist Health in Fort Smith has treated more than a dozen patients for heat-related illnesses this month, and similar numbers are being reported across the area. Mercy Fort Smith has treated 45 patients for heat-related illnesses in their emergency room since June.

Dr. Lee Johnson, an emergency room physician and medical director for Southwest EMS in Crawford County, highlighted the risks of heat exposure, especially for vulnerable groups such as infants and the elderly. "With the heat index where we’re at today, and certainly through this part of the summer, you can just be outside, even just sitting outside, they don’t even have to be doing anything and it can be enough to cause problems," Johnson said.

Dr. Johnson stressed the importance of staying hydrated before feeling thirsty. "You don’t want to wait until you’re thirsty. You need to know that in this kind of heat you need to be ahead of the curve with your hydration. So just plan to hydrate. If you’re going to be out in the heat for more than 30 minutes or an hour, you should plan to hydrate during the time you’re in the heat ahead of when you feel thirsty," he said.

He also explained the critical signs of heat-related illnesses and when to seek emergency help. "Heat exposure, you’re going to sweat, you’re going to feel thirsty at times. It’s when you stop sweating, and certainly confusion is one of the more hallmark indicators of a serious problem. If you have someone that you’re with and they’re in the heat and they’re starting to get confused and they’re not sweating, that’s an emergency. That’s the time where you should call 911," Johnson said.

Original reporting: 40/29 / KHBS (NW Arkansas) — read the source article.