Heat-related illnesses often include heat stroke and heat exhaustion.
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Emami (Reporter): IF YOU WORK OUTSIDE…YOU KNOW IT DOESN’T TAKE LONG TO SWEAT. MORE HOT DAYS ARE COMING TO CENTRAL NEW YORK THIS WEEK. HEAT STROKE AND HEAT EXHAUSTION ARE TWO DANGEROUS EFFECTS ON THE BODY. E.R. PHYSICIAN DOCTOR LOUIS FRANCESCUTTI SAYS ISOLATED PEOPLE ARE AT GREATEST RISK.
Francescutti (ER Physician): “The people I’m worried about are the ones that are isolated, they’re sort of socially disadvantaged, they may not have no friends or neighbors that check in on them. And they have pre existing conditions.”
Emami: FRANCESCUTTI SAYS HEAT STROKE IS WHEN THE BODY REACHES 104-DEGREES. PEOPLE CAN EXPERIENCE STROKE LIKE SYMPTOMS.
FRANCESCUTTI: “your brain stops working similar to when you have a real stroke. And when you’re at that stage, that’s a true medical emergency, you’ve got 30 minutes to get to a medical facility.”
Emami: FRANCESCUTTI SAYS ITS MOST IMPORTANT TO PAY EXTRA ATTENTION TO OTHERS WHEN IT GETS WARM. MICHAEL EMAMI, N-C-C NEWS.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC NEWS) – Another heatwave in central New York has brought more high temperatures to the region.
According to the New York State Department of Health, heat is the top weather related killer. Hospitals see an increase of heat-related illness patients during the summer months. Heat-related illnesses often include heat stroke and heat exhaustion.
Dr. Louis Francescutti, an emergency room physician at Royal Alexandra Hospital, said his main concern is the people that are the most vulnerable.
“The people I’m worried about are the ones who are isolated. They’re socially disadvantaged, and they may not have friends or neighbors that check on them,” he said.
CNY Vitals ranks Syracuse as one of the more poorer cities with comparison to others within the United States. With homelessness being a direct result of the poverty within the city, Francescutti said the homeless population falls under the most vulnerable.
“The homeless are sleeping outside in this weather and don’t have access to cooling. It’s part of the reason why the death numbers are so staggering,” he said.
Francescutti practices medicine at a hospital in Canada, sometimes seeing patients experiencing heat stroke.
“They call it stroke because your brain stops working, similar to when you have a real stroke. It’s a true medical emergency,” Francescutti said .
“Whoever sees you in that condition, they need to start cooling you down. They need to do this through removing your clothes, turning on fans, and by putting ice packs in all openings within the body,” Francescutti explained.
Francescutti said the most important part in avoiding a heat stroke or symptoms of heat exhaustion involve wearing appropriate clothing, staying hydrated and being aware of colleagues who may be feeling unwell.