Extreme Heat Coalition opens local cooling center

Cases of heat-related illness are occurring more often as U.S. summers get hotter and longer, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Already this year, Jacksonville recorded the hottest May on record, with average highs topping 90 degrees.

In the emergency department at Baptist Medical Center Nassau, cases of heat-related illness appear to be increasing over time, says Dr. Richard Westenbarger, an emergency room physician with Emergency Resources Group at Baptist Nassau.

“Some seasons seem particularly hotter and more humid, and it seems like this year it’s hotter and more humid,” he says. “We definitely see quite a bit of heat illness in the ED, and I’m sure there are cases that don’t come to the ED.”

The suffering caused by excessive heat has caught the attention of a group of Nassau County citizens who last year formed the Nassau County Extreme Weather Coalition. The group has succeeded this summer in opening a cooling center at First Missionary Baptist Church on Ninth Street and Ash Avenue. The center will open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on days when the heat index reaches 103 degrees or higher. The cooling center has already opened on a handful of days this summer, says Sarah Flint, co-founder of the Nassau County Extreme Weather Coalition.

“Anyone who is unhoused can go to that location,” she says. “But the cooling center isn’t just for unhoused members of the community. There are people who don’t have air conditioning. This is for anyone who just needs air conditioning in the afternoon.”

The group has a website with information on when the cooling center is open.

The group, comprised of several churches, nonprofit organizations and concerned citizens, was launched last year to address the lack of resources in the county to help people suffering from heat.

Flint, who directs environment stewardship for St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Fernandina Beach, says she began to think, “What are churches doing to protect vulnerable citizens from extreme heat? We live in Florida, but we had never thought about heat before. I realized there really wasn’t anything available specifically for [helping people who suffer from extreme heat]. But extreme heat is the No. 1 weather killer in the United States.”

Heat-related illness is common

Heat-related illness can be mild, causing symptoms such as dizziness. In severe cases, an individual can pass out, have seizures and organs can begin to fail. The condition occurs when the body tries to deal with heat, speeding up one’s metabolism and heart rate.

“The body tightly regulates our temperature, and it’s important not to get too hot or too cold or body functions and organs just don’t work,” Dr. Westenbarger says. “There are certain populations that are more at risk. Patients who are older are definitely more at risk. When we get older, we lose some reserves we have to deal with issues like heat.”

While Fernandina Beach residents adapt to summer heat, tourists and out-of-town guests don’t experience that acclimatization and can become sicker more quickly, he says. Be kind to your guests and realize they may not tolerate the heat as well as you do.

People with heart disease, high blood pressure or diabetes should also be especially careful in hot weather.

“When you have those issues, you have people with a limited supply of blood flow and oxygen to the body, and that puts you under stress,” he says. “Your body is put under a stress test.”

Heat-related illness is tricky because it can sneak up on an individual quickly, Dr. Westenbarger says. “The symptoms of heat-related illness are not always a straight line. You don’t pass from one symptom to the next to get to the full heat-stroke symptoms.”

Symptoms such as dizziness and fatigue are a sign that “the body is having a difficult time dealing with the stress of the heat,” he says, adding that a racing heart, heart palpitations, stomach cramps and nausea can occur. More serious signs are chest pain, shortness of breath and the feeling that you’re going to pass out.

“People come into the ED when they are worried and scared and they feel something is wrong,” he says. “They feel awful. A lot of times this happens suddenly. It can creep up on them and they don’t realize it until they are pretty sick.”

People who spend long periods of time outdoors need to know how to prevent heat-related illness and detect early signs of a problem, Dr. Westenbarger says. That includes athletes who are training for fall sports, golfers, pickleball players and outdoor workers. Even fit people develop heat-related illness, he notes.

“Athletes and military personal are at high risk,” he says. “They are some of the most in- shape individuals. But these athletes are really pushing their bodies already and, on top of that, they are exposed to heat. It can overwhelm them.”

How to protect yourself and others

Dr. Westenbarger encourages people to try to avoid exertion during the hottest part of the day or on days with excessive humidity. Hydrate well before going outdoors and during your time outdoors. Purchase electrolyte packets and add them to your water bottles. Avoid alcohol, he says.

“It is common for people not to be adequately hydrated,” he says. “When someone is dehydrated to start with and not drinking enough fluid, their bodies are already at risk. They have a predisposition to be stressed. We underestimate how much we sweat and how much fluid we lose.”

If you feel faint, stop activity and start to cool down. Pour water on your body and keep sipping water. Try to move to an air-conditioned area as soon as possible. If an individual passes out, is acting confused or has weakness on one side of their body, call 911.

Physicians also see people who become ill due to high indoor temperatures.

“It’s not just certain age groups or people who have medical conditions who could be at risk,” he notes. “We have to ask: where do people live? What access do they have to air conditioning?”

Flint urges Nassau County residents to share information about the cooling center. The website also has information about volunteering to staff the center.

“Check on your neighbors. Make sure people are doing OK,” she says. “Sometimes someone’s AC will go out and they will sit in the house and be miserable. But there are people here to help them.”

Across the United States, medical organizations and other groups are holding discussions about adapting to the warming climate. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is holding public hearings this summer on a proposed federal rule to prevent heat-related illnesses and deaths at work. The first federal rule of its kind, the proposed regulation would require employers to provide water and rest breaks when temperatures surpass certain levels. Last year, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law blocking Florida cities or counties from establishing extreme heat protections for workers, such as laws mandating water breaks.

 With the lack of state and federal protections, nonprofit organizations and churches are trying to fill a need, Flint says. The mission of faith organizations, she says, must go beyond providing food and clothing.

“Churches need to change the paradigm about how they do missions,” says Flint, who credits volunteer Keith Fisher and First Missionary Baptist pastors Kevin and Corliss Brown with the success of the cooling center project. “Responding to extreme weather needs to become part of what we’re thinking about. Mission work can be done right in our backyard.”