Workers, those with chronic illness, are among the most vulnerable during heat warnings

The Annapolis Valley and parts of northern Nova Scotia received another heat warning on Friday as high temperatures and humidity continued to affect the region.

Half a dozen heat warnings have already been issued this year, sending some people in the province to hospital heat related illness.

Dr. Ryan Sommers, Nova Scotia Health’s senior regional health officer, said Friday that the heat causes the most problems for people with chronic conditions such as asthma, bronchitis, heart disease, diabetes and emphysema.

“Usually we see a heat wave and then more (visits) to the ER a few days later,” Sommers said.

“I don’t have the exact numbers, but we know from past patterns that when the heat rises, people’s breathing gets harder and we should see more people come to the hospital and see more admissions.”

It happens because, as the temperature rises, people’s heart rates can increase because their bodies have to work harder to maintain normal functions. The humidity can constrict the airways of people with asthma and people may not eat or drink enough and that can affect blood sugar levels.

Sommers said the other major groups at risk are the elderly, infants and young children because their bodies can’t handle extreme temperatures, and people who work outside the home who are younger and healthier, but also involved in labor or athletics who put more stress on their bodies.

He said people suffering from muscle cramps and spasms should take this as an early warning sign of heat illness and drink more, go to a cool place and put cold towels around their necks and wear cooler clothes. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include headache, increased breathing and heart rate, excessive thirst, nausea, and possibly fainting. Heat exhaustion can be treated in the same way as cramps and spasms, but if there is no improvement, they should call a healthcare provider or 811.

Heat stroke occurs when a person’s internal temperature spikes after symptoms of heat exhaustion, but also includes confusion, lack of coordination, dizziness, and fainting.

“You have to go to a cold place and call EHS or 911 and (apply) cold water to large areas of the skin. Those people need to be seen in the hospital as soon as possible.”

Sommers said it’s important to drink plenty of water, wear loose clothing, be aware of warnings and have sunscreen and shade, and “if you don’t need to be outside during peak hours, it’s best to avoid it. “

He said libraries, shopping malls and other climate-controlled public buildings are places to cool down.

Dan Stovel, the regional emergency management office coordinator for Kings County, said that while comfort centers can open in the summer to provide places to cool down, in the same way they provide places to warm up for residents during power outages in In winter, malls and other public buildings are the first choice for places where people can cool off, unless a community feels the need to open a center.

But, Stovel said, many older people who are most vulnerable don’t always have transportation, so one of the organization’s key messages is to get people to do welfare checks on neighbors and those most at risk.