Northern California’s Labor Day heat wave could turn deadly. Here are resources to help

As the Sacramento region enters its latest heat wave with limited overnight relief, the impact on its residents could be deadly.

Local officials are working to ensure they can keep the most vulnerable populations safe.

That’s because heat exhaustion, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is the body’s response to an excessive loss of water and salt as a result of profuse sweating. Those most at risk include the elderly, people with high blood pressure, those working in hot conditions and the homeless population.

In 2006, a brutal heat wave that lasted 11 days claimed the lives of at least 13 people in Sacramento County, many of them elderly. Some of the victims died alone in rooms without air conditioning in downtown single-room occupancy hotels, prompting city officials to require the dated buildings to offer air conditioned common spaces. The city and county opened public cooling centers that year, but not until the heat wave was well underway.

Today, the biggest risk could be Sacramento County’s homeless population, which numbers about 9,300 people.

The 2006 heat wave stretched throughout California, claiming at least 130 lives. Stanislaus County officials reported 29 heat-related deaths – most of them elderly – as the Central Valley sizzled for days, with very little relief at night.

The body has to cool off at night, especially after a 100-degree day, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. If the air stays too warm, the body works in overdrive to regulate its temperature, leaving it susceptible to heat-related illnesses like heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Extended forecasts for Sacramento project seven consecutive days of triple digit temperatures, including forecasts for highs of 110 degrees on Monday and Tuesday.

What is being done?

In preparation of the boiling heat coming to the area, Sacramento County spokeswoman Janna Haynes said officials will make wellness calls to vulnerable clients who receive services from the Department of Child, Family and Adult Services.

If families are concerned about loved ones during the heat wave, they can reach out to the Sacramento County Adult Protective Services (APS) 24 hour hotline 916-874-9377.

Families can also call 211 or 916-498-1000 to learn more about heat wave advisories, cooling occasions or how to receive additional help with staying cool.

Cooling centers are scattered across the Sacramento area and homeless residents will be offered motel vouchers to escape the heat.

During heat waves, people are using electricity more to cool themselves down. If the increase in demand cannot be supported by the increase in generating electricity, planned power outages can occur.

People who rely on medical machinery should remain on alert to ensure they are not affected by outages.

Because heat exhaustion, if left untreated, can lead to a potentially fatal heat stroke.

According to the CDC, heat stroke is the most serious heat-related illness. A body experiencing heat stroke can have a temperature of 106 degrees or higher within 15 minutes of slipping into a stroke.

Once the body can no longer control its temperature, it can’t cool itself down, possibly causing permanent damage or even death if not treated immediately.

Climate change is to blame

Michele Barbato, a UC Davis professor and co-director of the UC Davis Climate Adaptation Research Center, said the rising temperatures are the new normal and climate change across the world could likely worsen.

Extreme weather events, including the monsoon floods in Pakistan that displaced millions of people this month and left one-third of the country underwater.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s neighbor China is experiencing a historic drought.

“There are rivers that have been running for more than 2,000 years that are completely dry,” Barbato said.

Barbato’s work revolves around how to adapt to the changing climate and deliver resilient solutions. To slow climate change, people can use materials that provide better insulation, design homes that handle heat waves efficiently with less energy, and use shade trees alongside roads to lower the temperature of the asphalt.

“Putting AC everywhere can seem like a solution, but it’s not a long-term solution,” Barbato said. “We are using more energy and that is increasing climate change. We are making the moving target further away from us.”

What are signs of a heat stroke?

Here are the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke and what to do if someone you know is experiencing either of the heat-related illnesses, according to the CDC:

Heat exhaustion symptoms include:

▪ Headache

▪ Nausea

▪ Dizziness

▪ Weakness

▪ Irritability

▪ Thirst

▪ Heavy sweating

▪ Elevated body temperature

▪ Decreased urine output

Heat stroke symptoms include:

▪ Confusion or altered mental state

▪ Slurred speech

▪ Loss of consciousness

▪ Hot, dry skin

▪ Excessive sweating

▪ Seizures

▪ High body temperature

If someone you know is experiencing heat exhaustion or a heat stroke, call 911 for emergency care.

While you wait for assistance, move the person to a shaded area, remove their outer layer of clothing and apply water or ice to their skin and clothing, the CDC wrote on its website. If the person is experiencing heat exhaustion, give them cool water to drink.

This story was originally published September 2, 2022 at 5:25 AM.