CHANDLER, AZ — The unseasonably hot weather has led to more emergency room visits for heat illness.
Banner Ocotillo Medical Center’s lead emergency doctor, Patrick Godwin, MD, said his team has noticed more heat-related issues in the department as extreme heat returns to the Valley.
“We are seeing more heat-related illnesses than we typically see at the beginning of October,” Godwin said.
He said the cases are coming in as people try to do what they usually plan for this time of year, like yard work and outdoor sports.
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“They’ll get out there and scalp their yard for three hours and plant their winter grass. They’re used to being able to do that no problem at the end of September and beginning of October,” Godwin said. “They go out for three hours in 110° heat and they run into trouble.”
According to the Maricopa County Heat Illness Dashboard, on Saturday, 0.68% of all hospital visits were heat-related, that’s comparable to 0.66% seen on September 5 and 0.67% seen on August 20.
This late heat wave also comes as thousands of snowbirds begin to return to the Valley in October.
Godwin said for those not acclimated to the high temperatures, the shock can lead to serious situations.
“This is just completely different,” Godwin said. “So when someone walks into this and they’re used to lower temperatures, they just have to be cognizant that 110 is a lot different than 100°.”
