Greene County Has Seen at Least 178 Cases of Heat-Related Illness

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- There have been at least 178 cases of heat-related illnesses in Greene County emergency rooms since June 1.

The Springfield-Greene County Health Department says 43 of those cases involved someone being admitted to the hospital.

Statewide, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has confirmed reports of 1,034 heat-related emergency department visits from May 1 through August 1. Twenty-eight people have died statewide due to heat, but none in Greene County.

In Springfield, the following locations continue to serve as designated public cooling centers during each building's normal business hours during the heat advisory through Thursday evening:

American Red Cross, 1545 N. West Bypass
Ozarks Technical Community College (Commons), 933 E. Central St.
Salvation Army, 1707 W. Chestnut Expressway
YMCA, 1901 E. Republic Road
YMCA, 417 S. Jefferson Ave.
Chesterfield Family Center lobby, 2511 W. Republic Road
Doling Family Center lobby, 310 E. Talmage St.
Mediacom Ice Park upper and lower lobbies, 635 E. Trafficway

Cooling centers are open to the public and meant to provide relief for those who otherwise do not have access to an air-conditioned environment. Other public services affected by the high heat include:

Click here to learn more about the dangers of heat-related illness

Heat exhaustion is the most common heat-related illness and can lead to dehydration.

Symptoms include heavy sweating, paleness, tiredness, muscle cramps, weakness, dizziness or fainting, headache, nausea or vomiting. A person with these symptoms should move to a cool spot, rest and drink cool water. If symptoms worsen or last longer than an hour, they should seek medical attention.

Heat stroke occurs when the body's temperature climbs to 104F. It can be deadly. Call 911 immediately if a person has symptoms including a high body temperature, red, hot or dry skin, rapid pulse, throbbing headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion or unconsciousness.

Babies do not lose heat quickly and they do not sweat effectively. Older adults do not sweat easily and usually have other health conditions that affect their ability to lose heat.

To protect against heat-related illness:

-Drink plenty of water, even if you do not feel thirsty; avoid drinks that contain alcohol or caffeine
-Wear light-weight, loose-fitting, light-colored clothing, hats and sunglasses and use sunscreen
-Avoid strenuous work or exercise outside during the hottest part of the day (If that is not practical, take frequent breaks and remember to drink plenty of water.)
-Use a buddy system between co-workers in high heat-stress jobs to watch for signs of heat stress
-Check on senior adults, young children and pets
-Never leave infants, children, senior adults or pets in a parked vehicle
-Eat small, frequent meals and avoid high protein foods, hot foods and heavy meals
-Stay in an air-conditioned facility; If your home is not air conditioned, visit a shopping center, public library, community center, cooling center or other air-conditioned facility
-Do not rely on fans as your primary cooling device; fans re-circulate room air and may actually increase your body temperature and your risk of heat-related illness
-Ask your pharmacist or health care provider if medication you are taking puts you at increased risk for heat-related illness
-Provide pets with extra water and access to a shady environment