Thousands of Louisiana residents fell sick with heat illness last year, how to stay safe this summer

LOUISIANA (KTAL/KMSS) – Heat illness can be deadly and was the reason behind over 10,000 emergency room visits between 2023 and 2024.

The Louisiana Department of Health encourages residents to learn what to do to not become a victim to the heat.

According to the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) there were 51 heat-related deaths and nearly 4,500 emergency department (ED) visits for heat-related illness in 2024.

Despite improvements since 2023, which recorded 88 heat-related deaths and over 6,000 emergency room visits, further efforts are necessary to reduce these numbers to zero.

How can you stay safe?

Staying hydrated and in air-conditioned spaces during extreme heat events can mean the difference between life and death. If you do not have access to an air-conditioned space, local news outlets and radio stations are good sources for finding cooling centers.

It is also important to dress appropriately and avoid outdoor activities from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you must go outside, wear sunscreen, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses. Loose-fitting, lightweight, and light-colored clothing is best for reflecting heat and sunlight.

Never leave children or pets inside a vehicle, and look out for family and friends who are alone or more susceptible to heat sickness.

Is heat really dangerous?

Everyone is susceptible to illness during extreme heat and it can be deadly.

When it is hot outside, the body eliminates excess heat through sweating and increases blood flow to the skin. Humidity makes it more difficult for the body to cool itself. Heat-related illness (HRI), or hyperthermia, occurs when the body cannot maintain a normal temperature, resulting in heat exhaustion or life-threatening heat stroke. 

The LDH provides a list of those who are at an even higher risk:

• Older adults: who do not sweat as much as younger adults and are more likely to have chronic health conditions.
• People with chronic illnesses: Heart or kidney disease, respiratory conditions, high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity.
• People on medication: that interfere with thermoregulation, fluid balance, or increased skin sensitivity to sun exposure.
• People using drugs and alcohol: In 2023, one-third of all heat fatalities in Louisiana involved substance use.
• Outdoor workers and some indoor workers who work in a hot, non-air-conditioned environment.
• Athletes: People who exercise outdoors.
• Infants and young children, who are sensitive to the effects of high temperatures and rely on others to control their environments.
• Pregnant women, who experience more bodily stress and are more likely to become dehydrated.

The list also included unhoused individuals, pregnant women and those with limited mobility.

They offer a three-step reminder for working outdoors: water, rest, and shade.

• Water: Drink water every 15 minutes. When performing strenuous, sweat-producing tasks for extended periods, have electrolyte drinks on hand in addition to water. Equip all work areas with clean, potable, cool, free-of-charge water that is close to the worksite and break areas.
• Rest: Do not wait until symptoms occur to rest. Take frequent rest breaks that are long enough to recover from the heat and for the heart rate to slow (at least 5 minutes).
• Shade: Provide a shady or cool location to take breaks and recover from the heat, a large enough area for workers to be distanced from each other and comfortable underneath. If vehicles are used as a rest area, park the vehicles in the shade and cool them with air conditioning before use.

Heat illness can be mild or severe. Residents, workers, and employers are encouraged to know the symptoms of heat illness and treatments to prevent heat stroke or death.

You can visit  ldh.la.gov/heat for additional information about heat-related illnesses in Louisiana, along with signs, symptoms, and guidance.