Heat can kill: What you need to know to stay safe as Tucson temperatures rise

Heat illness — ranging from fatigue to nausea, vomiting and potentially fatal heat stroke — is the cause of most summer search-and-rescue missions by the Southern Arizona Rescue Association (SARA).

With triple-digit temperatures upon us, the association is warning hikers about heat dangers and calling for extreme caution and preparedness. The warnings also are relevant for people who work outdoors in hot weather.

Two emergency medicine technicians with SARA — Justin Peterson and Manny Montaño — described the progressive nature of heat illness and offered advice for avoiding it.

ABOUT HEAT ILLNESS

Heat illness moves along a spectrum from fairly mild to life-threatening, according to the medical technicians. And they emphasized that even early symptoms shouldn’t be ignored.

“From my own personal experience, excessive sweating, headache and a general kind of fatigue can be some of the first symptoms of heat illness,” Peterson said. “The best thing to do at that point is to stop and be aware that your body is telling you something.”

Resting in a shady spot, removing restrictive clothing, wetting your skin and drinking fluids with electrolytes such as Gatorade could help.

But sometimes, according to SARA, “The body’s ability to regulate heat is gradually overwhelmed, leading to heat exhaustion, which is indicated by fatigue, dizziness, headache, excessive sweating, fainting, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

“If left untreated, heat exhaustion will progress to heat stroke, which is a medical emergency as the body is now unable to regulate heat and internal organs become severely damaged. Individuals with heat stroke will have hot, dry skin and may lose consciousness or experience seizures.”

PREVENTING HEAT ILLNESS

The best way to deal with heat illness, Montaño said, is to avoid it.

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Drink plenty of water and eat properly the day before a planned hike, and get adequate rest the night before, he advised.

Research the planned hike — distance, altitude gained and other factors — ahead of time and check the weather. And be prepared to change plans, Montaño said.

“Sometimes,” he said, “you just have to say, ‘this is not going to be a hiking day.’”

If you choose to take the hike, Peterson said, it’s important to let someone know exactly where you’re going and when you expect to return.

Hikers should carry a cellphone with a charged battery and be prepared to call 911 in an emergency.

Experts advise taking more water than you expect to need, but they also emphasize that it’s critical to get salts and electrolytes along with the water.

“You can be taking in so much water that you’re flushing out your salts and electrolytes,” Peterson said, noting that the result is a condition of abnormally low sodium in the blood known as hyponatremia.

“A good rule to follow,” Peterson said, “is to turn around when your water is halfway gone. When your water is halfway gone, your hike should be halfway over.”

ABOUT SARA

The Southern Arizona Rescue Association is an all-volunteer, nonprofit search-and-rescue organization serving the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and Southern Arizona since 1958.

SARA members are volunteers from all walks of life, donating their time, skills and enthusiasm to ensure public safety outdoors.