We've heard it all our lives in Arkansas: "It's not the heat. It's the humidity."
It's a catchy phrase that unifies us in our suffering. But the reality, according to National Weather Service forecasters, is it's both.
What’s the point?
Don’t ignore the warnings: The heat and humidity is dangerous and demands constant attention.
Obviously, high temperatures like we're having here in Northwest Arkansas can be brutal for those working and playing outdoors or those whose homes lack air conditioning. But the humidity is a major culprit in creating the dangers faced by everyone. Why? Hear what the National Weather Service in Tulsa has to say:
"Sweating, by itself, does nothing to cool the body, unless the water is removed by evaporation -- and high relative humidity retards evaporation. The evaporation process itself works this way: the heat energy required to evaporate the sweat is extracted from the body, thereby cooling it. Under conditions of high temperature (above 90 degrees) and high relative humidity, the body is doing everything it can to maintain 98.6 degrees inside. ... Heat disorders generally have to do with a reduction or collapse of the body's ability to shed heat by circulatory changes and sweating, or a chemical (salt) imbalance caused by too much sweating. When heat gain exceeds the level the body can remove, or when the body cannot compensate for fluids and salt lost through perspiration, the temperature of the body's inner core begins to rise and heat-related illness may develop."
It's the kind of bodily reaction that can sneak up to you. Just in Thursday's newspaper was coverage of the tragic death Monday of 29-year-old Meaghan Blair of Rogers. The mother of two young kids was participating in a pioneer trek re-enactment in northeast Oklahoma with youth from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. According to the family, she was about a half-mile short of completing the seven-mile journey when she fell ill. Taken to a medical tent for immediate treatment, she went into seizures. She died at a hospital early Tuesday morning.
Church officials said it appeared Blair died of heat stroke, although a final medical determination hasn't been made. And this happened in an event in which the family said careful planning to cope with high temperatures and humidity were taken.
Our condolences go out to Blair's family and others who knew her. They will mourn her passing in a personal way. Those of us who didn't know her, however, can take note of the circumstances of her death and heighten our attention to the steps necessary to be safe in this oppressive heat.
What to do? The experts offer these words of wisdom:
• Avoid the heat when possible. If your house doesn't have air conditioning, travel to a mall or a public library. The National Weather Service says even two hours in an air-conditioned space can significantly reduce the risk of heat-related illness.
• Drink water and natural juices liberally. Don't wait to be thirsty. Avoid caffeinated drinks and alcoholic beverages.
• Slow down. If you plan to run, ride a bike or do lawn care, the best time is during early morning and late evening hours.
• Do not stay or allow others to stay in an enclosed vehicle, even for a few minutes.
Go review information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at https://www.cdc.gov/extremeheat/warning.html.
Remember to be neighborly and keep an eye on those living around you, particularly the elderly, who can be more susceptible to the effects of the heat.
Many times, people who get into medical trouble never think it's going to happen to them, and by the time their brains recognize their body is in crisis, it can be too late. The key is to over-prepare, to take more breaks to find cool places and to drink water consistently throughout the day rather than guzzling a lot at once.
As far as editorial topics go, this one isn't earth-shattering, but it can be life-saving. We all know people who work or play outdoors who believe they're in control, that they're tough enough to take it. Let's take the advice of Yogi Berra, the famed baseball player and oratorical gymnast, who said, "It's not the heat, it's the humility." Be humble enough to know it can happen to you or someone you know.
That heat and humidity is more powerful than any of us. It deserves our respect.
Commentary on 06/24/2016