heat-related illness: a serious Nevada summer hazard

Nevada's summer heat can be dangerous. Preparation, hydration, and electrolyte replacement are your best defenses.

Heat-Related Illness: A Serious Nevada Summer Hazard

Summer has officially arrived in Northern Nevada. While many residents focus on wildfire season, extreme heat can be just as dangerous. Our region routinely experiences temperatures above 90°F, combined with very low humidity and intense sun exposure. Those conditions can quickly lead to dehydration, heat exhaustion, or even life-threatening heat stroke.

Staying safe means preventing heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion, heat rash, heat cramps, and heat stroke.

I lived and worked in Southern Arizona when I was in the military. We took every precaution that I am going to discuss. One day on regular duty, I was called upon to join a Desert Search and Rescue mission. We spent several days encamped in an open Sonoran Desert. Precautions were taken, but not all of us responded to the desert the same way.

I personally suffered heat stroke. Thanks to immediate on-site first aid and rapid cooling measures, I recovered fully. Without the forethought and preparation taken, I would not have survived.

One lesson I learned from that experience is that hydration involves more than just drinking water. During prolonged exposure to extreme heat, replacing electrolytes lost through sweat can be just as important as staying hydrated.

How Do You Know If You Are Experiencing a Heat-Related Illness?

Learn the difference can mean saving a life.

Living in Nevada, you probably have had heat-related illness and didn’t pay much attention. Let me give you a few critical clues to when the heat is getting to you.

Early Signs: Heat Exhaustion

During this phase, your body is struggling to cool itself. These symptoms typically come on gradually and mean you need to get to the shade and drink water immediately:

• Cramping: Spasms in the legs, arms, or stomach.
• Sweating: Heavy, excessive sweating.
• Skin Changes: Skin can become pale, clammy, or flushed.
• Discomfort: A mild to throbbing headache, dizziness, or feeling lightheaded.
• Energy Drop: Unusually deep fatigue or general weakness.

Medical Emergency: Heat Stroke

This is the most severe and life-threatening stage, where your body's temperature-control system fails. If you notice these cues, you must call 911 immediately:

• Altered Mental State: Confusion, agitation, slurred speech, or delirium.
• Lack of Sweat: The skin becomes hot, red, and dry, even though the body is critically overheated. If heat stroke is caused by exercise, the person may still be sweating.
• Rapid Vitals: A very rapid pulse or fast, shallow breathing.
• Extreme Temperature: Core body temperature rising to 104°F (40°C) or higher.
• Loss of Consciousness: Fainting or falling into a coma.

Personal note: When I received treatment in Arizona, I had already progressed to this stage and required immediate cooling measures.

A person experiencing heat stroke may have hot, red skin that is either dry or still sweating heavily.

In Arizona, every year several people get stranded on the highway during the heat of the day. They try to walk to the nearest service station but never make it. Heat-related illness is completely preventable if you take a few steps of preparation and precautions. Nevada is not very different. The temperatures are not quite as extreme, but that just means the symptoms develop over a longer period of time.

Prevent Heat Illness Before It Starts

• Drink water before you feel thirsty.
• Replace electrolytes during prolonged heat exposure: Water is essential, but when working, hiking, exercising, or spending several hours outdoors in the heat, your body also loses important electrolytes such as sodium and potassium through sweat. Consider sports drinks, electrolyte powders, or electrolyte tablets to help maintain proper hydration.
• Limit outdoor work during the hottest part of the day, typically 2–6 p.m.
• Wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
• Take frequent breaks in shade or air conditioning.
• Never leave children or pets in a parked vehicle.

Who Is Most At Risk?

• Adults over 65
• Young children
• Outdoor workers
• People with heart disease
• People taking certain medications
• Pets

During periods of excessive heat, residents should pay particular attention to neighbors who live alone, older adults, and those with medical conditions that may limit their ability to stay cool. A quick phone call or knock on the door can make a significant difference during a prolonged heat wave.

Take Action Today

• Review your summer emergency kit.
• Keep bottled water in your vehicle.
• Carry water on neighborhood walks.
• Know the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
• Check on neighbors during heat waves.