Emergency crews prepared for heat illness in extreme temperatures

Most of Mid-Missouri was under a heat advisory until 8:00 p.m. Thursday, but it stayed hot into the evening.

In Jefferson City, emergency crews were on standby at Thursday Night Live in case of any heat related illnesses.

The Jefferson City Fire Department has a minimum of one unit at the event each week and had two units Thursday. With the extreme heat, Division Chief Jason Turner said crews took extra precautions.

The heat index reached around 100 degrees in Jefferson City Thursday.

People should take caution with a heat index of 90 to 103 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Anything hotter than that could be dangerous.

Emergency responders said there are several things that can help prevent heat illness.

“Number one staying hydrated, drink lots of water,” Turner said. “Take a break, stand in the shade. Keep an eye on the little ones. Make sure that they’re well-hydrated, that they’re not too much exposed to the heat.

Drinking alcohol in an effort to cool off can actually increase your chance of getting heat illness, according to Turner.

“It will increase the chances of dehydration and heat exposure,” Turner said. “So if you’re going to have a drink or two, try to slip in a bottle of water between each drink and that way it does help offset the possibilities of dehydration.”

Signs of heat illness include heavy sweating, nausea, dizziness, weakness and vomiting.

“If you see somebody in distress, don’t be afraid to say something and then catch a firefighter or one of the EMS people and say something,” Turner said.

The fire department has not responded to any heat related illness calls at Thursday Night Live so far this year, Turner said.