ST. LOUIS – St. Louis Fire Department chief Dennis Jenkerson held a press conference Tuesday morning to talk about heat-related incidents.
An elderly man was found unresponsive in north St. Louis on Sunday with no air conditioning in his second-floor apartment. The fire department announced this as the first heat-related death this summer.
Jenkerson said the St. Louis Fire Department has responded to over 200 heat-related incidents in the past few days.
Health officials are urging people to stay hydrated and cool and look out for each other.
"Check on your neighbors. Check on your relatives and family members and to do this you don't text them. You don't call them on the phone. We want you to knock on their doors and go to their house. Talk to them," Chief Jenkerson said.
During cases of extreme heat, whenever temperatures are above 95 degrees, the St. Louis County Department of Public Health recommends the following safety precautions:
- Take regular breaks in the shade or in an air-conditioned room.
- Take care of those who might not be aware of the danger or able to react accordingly – especially young children and the elderly. Check on your neighbors and relatives if they may be vulnerable or do not have air conditioning.
- Wear loose-fitting, lightweight, light-colored clothing.
- Spend as little time as possible in the sun and keep activity levels to a minimum.
- Drink plenty of cool, non-alcoholic beverages, especially those without sugar or caffeine.
- Know the signs of heat exhaustion. If someone becomes dizzy, nauseated, or sweats heavily, find a cooler location for him or her immediately.
- Know the signs of heat stroke. The symptoms are similar to heat exhaustion, but also include hot, flushed skin, and normally sweating stops. If heat stroke is a possibility, call 911 immediately. Heat stroke is life-threatening.
If a person is unable to keep his or her residence cool and needs to find a cooling center, that person is urged to call the United Way of Greater Saint Louis by dialing 211 from his or her home landline phone, or by dialing 1-800-427-4626 from any other type of phone.
You can also visit CoolDownSt.Louis.org if you need.
Click here for a list of cooling centers.