Extreme heat keeping emergency responders busy

Emergency responders said they have responded to more than a dozen calls heat related calls to start off the week and are expecting more as the heat wave continues.

Wednesday, was the hottest day of the year so far in Central Texas and many are doing what they can to beat the heat. Bob and Janet Swaffer have lived in Austin for more than 40 years and said Barton Springs Pool is one of their favorites on hot days. “You're cool for a long time afterwards, ordinarily we come later in the day because you can sleep well at night,” said Janet.

The water at the pool is 68 degrees year-round, which Brandon Cook and his dad came all the way from Houston to enjoy. “It's really cold once you get in, but when you keep moving it gets warmer,” Brandon said.

With this heat, come safety issues. EMS said as of Wednesday afternoon they had responded to 15 heat-related calls in the last 48-hours, 12 over the weekend. Many of these calls, they said could've been prevented. If you are planning on being outside they said you need to be prepared. Commander Mike Benavides works for the Austin-Travis County EMS, “You need to make sure you're wearing proper sunscreen and protection, lose light clothing, head gear, all the things that we always talk about, that is the preventive side of it,” he said.

Benavides said to keep in mind if you are with children to keep a close eye on them. He said children have less ability to regulate their body temperature.

EMS officials said one of their main concerns is vehicles, as the heat can turn deadly very quickly.
”The elderly, even just a regular adult, a child, let’s not forget our furry friends, our pets, never leave any living thing unattended in a vehicle. Those doing so even by accident can be fatal,” Benavides said.

Most important to beat this heat is to stay hydrated. Janet Swaffer said she has a water bottle she takes with her everywhere, “drink small sips continuously. Drinking a lot at one time doesn't hydrate you the way a small sip every 15 minutes will do,” she said.

Some signs of heat exhaustion and stroke are a person being disoriented, nausea, heavy sweating, weakness, cold pale clammy skin, and a fast weak pulse. If this does happen to you or someone you are with, call 91-1, move them to the shade, try to cool them off, and have them sip water.