MARION COUNTY — INDIANAPOLIS — The city of Indianapolis has been under a heat advisory since Monday, June 13.
Temperatures caused distress for dozens of Hoosiers.
WRTV rode along with Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services as they tackled the calls for service.
"Under the bridge, possible heat stroke, dizziness, confusion, diaphoretic," IEMS, District 6 Lt. Amber Michaels said.
Michaels took WRTV to the scene of a heat-related call for help.
"He was in full cardiac arrest. He did not have a pulse and he was not breathing. He was walking and became overheated," Michaels said.
She said the patient was following his usual routine of walking to work, before collapsing.
"The last few days have been hot, hot, hot and it just catches up with you. If you are this individual and had walked to work and if you do that every day and sweat a lot and you have any health conditions that go along with it, it's not always a favorable outcome and in this, it was not," Michaels said.
So far this week, IEMS has responded to more than 30 patients suffering from illnesses because of high temperatures.
"By the end of the week, the calls do become more severe," she said.
On an average day, medics will respond to 0 to 3 heat-related calls, but this week medics are responding to around 4x that amount.
Breakdown on the number of calls this week:
- Monday - 7 calls
- Tuesday - 12 calls
- Wednesday - 13 calls
"Check on your neighbors. Check on your family," she said.
Michaels said medics are mostly treating children, the elderly, people experiencing homelessness, and people without air conditioning.
Symptoms to look out for include flushed skin, sweating, confusion, and exhaustion.
"With the heat, it seems busier. We are not really getting a chance to cool off ourselves, so we just keep at it," she said.
Although first responders have been busy, Michaels said it's all worth it.
"It's what we do and at the end of the day, you made a difference and helped them out no matter how big or small, but really it's those things that keep us going," Michaels said.
If you or someone you know becomes overheated and distressed call 911.
There are free places to cool off across the city at Indy Parks locations.
Click here for a full list of locations.
