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'It definitely ramps up:' Local Fire Rescue departments see an increase in heat-related illness call
By Meghan Moriarty,
12 hours ago
With summer in full swing, our First Alert Weather team has seen some above-average temperatures making the hot days feel hotter. This summer has been two degrees above average for June and July, so far.
He works for Clay County Fire Rescue and said the hot weather is keeping his crews busy.
“We’ve seen a few more [calls] this year than what we have in the past,” Chief Alvers said. “We bring in extra crews to kind of mitigate that issue.”
In 2023, Clay County Fire Rescue had 70 heat-related illness calls. So far this year, it’s had 52.
St Johns County Fire Rescue is also noticing an uptick. There were 40 calls in 2023. While it’s just 14 so far this year, their spokesperson said calls “seem to have ramped up over the last week with the weather.”
The Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department could not comment on calls for this week. But, in 2023 it had 240 heat/cold related calls, and 113 calls this year, as of last week.
UF Health said it had 22 cases of heat-related illnesses in its emergency room this year, 18 of those were just in June and July. Last year, it had a 58 total.
Chief Alvers said they’re mainly getting calls for road crews who are out in the hot sun all day.
“If we need to cool them down quickly, we’ll put ice packs like armpits, groin area,” Chief Alvers said. “Try to cool ‘em down. We’ll start an IV. Start fluids on them.”
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