According to Lubbock EMS workers, and The Lubbock Fire Department high temperatures are the number one cause of weather related fatalities each year. UMC EMS crews have responded to 20 related calls so far this summer but expect that number to go up.
Whether it’s something as simple as dehydration or as serious as a heat stroke, Fire Chief Steve Holland is encouraging the community to be strategic in beating the heat.
“We are really urging people over this July 4th holiday to be real aware , there are four days of events starting on Saturday and going to the fireworks on Tuesday,” Holland said.
UMC EMS Training Chief Chad Curry said to make sure you are drinking enough water and if someone is overheating to place ice bags under their arms and in the groin area.
“You’re going to have a headache and generally you feel bad and you start sweating at that point and that’s when you start to have heat exhaustion, and as that progresses you’ll actually get chill bumps on your body,” Curry said.
Curry said to also make sure you don’t drink too much alcohol in the extreme temperatures, and to keep a close eye on your pets and children.
“They aren’t going to drink water on their own so you have to tell them ‘you need to drink this bottle of water,” Curry said.
Both The Fire Department and EMS said they continue to receive calls about pets and children accidentally locked in cars.
“It can become drastically hot in a matter of minutes so they should never be leaving their child in the car not even with the car running,” Holland said.
