Ann relentless heat wave Brought to Central Arizona record high temperature. But too much sunlight brings something even darker: heat death.

There have been four heat-related deaths in Pinal County so far this year, according to data obtained by the Pinal County Coroner’s Office. Inmaricopa. One fatality occurred in Maricopa in mid-June.

Neighboring Maricopa County, with well over 10 times the population of Pinal County, suffered little damage. More than a dozen heat-related deaths so far this year.

The county coroner said if history is any indication, more heat-related deaths are likely in the coming months.

in numbers

Of the four deaths in Pinal county, two cited heat as the main cause.

Three occurred after noon and all had at least one underlying factor that worsened or exacerbated the deceased’s condition, including dehydration, heart disease, and substance abuse.

Coroners have not yet disclosed the number of cases under investigation.

The county’s death toll has fluctuated from year to year, with 25 in 2020, 18 in 2021 and a whopping 32 in 2022. July was the month with the most deaths last year, with 11 of them occurring for two consecutive weeks.

According to PCMEO, this is not uncommon Investigative Director Andre Davis.

“I believe that historically, July and August are the months with the most heat-related deaths,” Davis said.

Six heat-related deaths have occurred in Maricopa from May 2020 to last month. Three of his cases occurred in July 2022.

The death toll affected all races, genders and ages within the county. The youngest victim was a 19-year-old white man in Red Rock last year. The oldest is a 92-year-old black woman living in Casa Grande in 2021.

All of these deaths were preventable, the coroner said.

Danger of hyperthermia

heatstroke It happens when the body overheats and can no longer cool down. This usually happens when environmental factors cause the body temperature to exceed 104 degrees.

Heat exhaustion occurs first, followed by warning symptoms such as thirst, headache, dizziness, weakness, muscle cramps, and vomiting.

Christopher Bollinger, deputy chief of the Maricopa Fire and Medical Department, said ignoring these could have devastating consequences.

“Hyperthermia refers to extremely high temperatures that can cause system failures throughout the body,” Bollinger said. “There are various systems that solve cognitive problems where people start to think vaguely and then make the wrong decisions. The effects on the body are wide-ranging.”

Symptoms of heat stroke include confusion, hallucinations, seizures, and coma. These often lead to injury and death.

prevention

According to the forecast, the afternoon temperature is expected to exceed 110 degrees next week. National Weather Service. Residents are being advised to take precautions as Maricopa’s excessive heat warning runs through Wednesday.

NWS meteorologists recommend staying indoors as much as possible, drinking more water than usual, and wearing light clothing. It also recommends checking on friends, family and neighbors, especially those vulnerable to heat such as the elderly and children.

Bollinger recommended that children and pets should not be left alone in the car.

“In Arizona, summer temperatures can regularly hit 110 degrees,” he said. “If it’s that hot, the inside of the car will reach 144 degrees in 30 minutes. You can’t survive in that kind of environment.”

As of July 13, the number of deaths due to heat stroke this year is as follows.

May 18th: A 33-year-old man from Sakaton died just before noon. He developed a high fever and dehydration. The maximum temperature that day reached 100 degrees.

May 22nd: A man of unknown age died around 9 am in Bapture, of diabetes, heart disease and even overheating. The maximum temperature of the day reached 102 degrees.

June 21st: A 57-year-old man from Maricopa died at noon. He died of heart disease attributed to physical exertion and heat exposure. The maximum temperature of the day reached 104 degrees.

July 11th: A woman of unknown age died at Apache Junction shortly before midnight. She died of heart disease exacerbated by heat exposure and alcohol abuse. The maximum temperature of the day reached 109 degrees.