New Jersey hospital prepares for surge of heat-related illnesses in prolonged heat wave
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – This prolonged heat wave is dangerous especially now with the added humidity. The blanket of heat covering the region is oppressive if you spend any amount of time outside. A South Jersey hospital is ready to help people who are overcome by it.
One of the ways people overcome by the heat are cooled down in the Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes emergency department is by wrapping themselves in plastic and covering them with ice.
Dr. Alfred Sacchetti with Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Camden said so far, there haven't been that many heat emergency patients but this is expected to change.
"As this thing progresses, we are likely to see a little bit more of an increase in these folks with heat-related emergencies," Sacchetti said.
The emergency department is equipped with plenty of IV solutions to treat dehydration.
Another way to cool patients is by spraying fans with water and turning them on.
"And the fans will evaporate that water very quickly. And that evaporation simulates what you do when you're sweating. And we can drop their temperatures very, very quickly with that," Sacchetti said.
The air quality alert that's currently in effect will be especially dangerous for people with respiratory issues.
"Their oxygen levels begin to drop, their carbon dioxide levels begin to rise and that's where they get into trouble," he said.
Sacchetti said ozone that irritates the lungs can also be harmful to heart patients
For people working outside like Charles Roberts in the hospital's valet group, it's just downright miserable.
"It's terrible for me. I'm not a heat person. Right. Yeah, it's hot," Charles Roberts said.
Doctors say it's important to take breaks from being outside in the heat as much as you can and drink lots of water even before you're thirsty or feel like you need it.
