Heatwave updates from around the state, and can you spot the signs of heat distress?
Jul 17, 2023, 6:00 PM
SALT LAKE CITY — It’s July and the summer heatwave is rolling into town. The mayor of St. George wants residents to ease the strain on the city’s power grid. The mayor of Moab has some advice for visiting outdoor enthusiasts. Plus, a Utah doctor wants readers to recognize the signs of heat-related illness, which, left untreated, can be deadly.
St George heatwave
St. George saw a high temperature on Sunday of 115 degrees as the Police Department reported power outages on Facebook at 5:45 p.m. Sunday. Rocky Mountain Power also reported Sunday evening that more than 2,000 households experienced power outages between Ogden and Salina as reported by St. George News.
Rene Fleming, St. George’s manager of Energy and Water Customer Service, speaks to Dave & Dujanovic about the city’s latest orange warning for power customers due to the high temperatures.
“If they can set the thermostat at 78 degrees and use a fan to keep the air moving. Cook something that doesn’t require using your oven, which adds heat to your house. It’s just a reminder that conservation can also save us money, and it also can relieve the strain on the energy grid,” Fleming said.
The city is not asking residents to turn off their power, just reduce usage, particularly between the hours of 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Moab heatwave
Moab Mayor Joette Langianse wants visitors to know this first: hydrate.
“Just keep drinking water. Even if you don’t think you need it, you do,” she said.
The other piece of advice she has for visitors is don’t go hiking between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
“That’s going to be the hottest part of the day. So, get out there and enjoy Moab but do it later in the afternoon or the evening. Sunsets are beautiful from Arches National Park. But definitely drink lots and lots of water,” she said.
The doctor is in
Tom Nelson, an Intermountain Healthcare emergency-room doctor, joins the show to talk about heat-related illnesses and how to spot them.
On Sunday, July 16, Salt Lake City was one degree off the all-time high temperature of 107 degrees. In that extreme heat, a person can move rapidly from a normal state to heat exhaustion or even heat stroke, Nelson said.
“In those kinds of extreme temperatures, people can get symptomatic and get heat-related illnesses very quickly, especially if they’re exerting themselves if they’re outside exercising or things of that nature,” he said.
Nelson said if you or someone around you is experiencing any of the following conditions, stop any physical exertion, get out of the sun, find shade and drink water.
Signs of heat exhaustion
According to the CDC, of the heat-related illnesses, heat exhaustion and heat stroke are the most serious. The symptoms of heat exhaustion include:
- Cool, pale, clammy skin
- Fast, weak pulse
- Heavy sweating
- Muscle cramping
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Nausea or vomiting
- Dizziness or fainting
. . . and heat stroke
If untreated, heat exhaustion may progress to heatstroke. Heatstroke is a serious, life-threatening condition. Call 911 or get the victim to a hospital immediately. Heat stroke is a severe medical emergency. It is characterized by the following symptoms:
- Red, hot and dry skin (no sweating)
- High body temperature (103°F or higher)
- Rapid, strong pulse
- Throbbing headache
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Confusion
- Unconsciousness
Read more
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Dave & Dujanovic can be heard weekdays from 9 a.m. to noon. on KSL NewsRadio. Users can find the show on the KSL NewsRadio website and app, as well as Apple Podcasts and Google Play.
