WMBCTV: Heat Advisory in Effect as ERs See Surge in Heat-Related Illnesses Across North Jersey

Intense summer heat continues to grip Northeast New Jersey, where a National Weather Service Heat Advisory is expected to remain in effect until 8 p.m. this evening. Temperatures are expected to approach 100 degrees, with AccuWeather predicting the severe stretch will ease by Thursday. Meanwhile, Dr. Randy Tartacoff says in his 25 years of being the Associate Director for Holy Name’s Emergency Department, he sees a spike in heat-related Emergency Room visits every time temperatures reach this high.

“Almost every time it gets this warm, we do see a surge of people with heat related diseases,” said Dr. Tartacoff. “The most common are people who work outside roofers, construction workers, every so often children, but, rarely, it’s more about people who work outside for a living who have to be outside to support their families and many of them are just pushed or push themselves to the point where they have heat related illnesses.”

Doctors say they typically see three main heat-related illnesses in the emergency room: heat cramps which are muscle spasms caused by dehydration, heat exhaustion which is when the body’s temperature rises but stays below 104. 

“And then finally there’s heat stroke,” said Dr. Tartacoff. “Heat stroke is the absolute worst and why is that so bad? Because we lose our ability to cool our body down our bodies love homeostasis we love to stay the way we are and if we can’t stay the way we are then we lose control of our ability to actually cool our bodies down you go ultimately into multisystem failure, and this is marked by - not the multi systems failure but early heat stroke - confusion you may not be sweating so they are either red or cool and clammy, and they may not be sweating nausea confusion agitation they may resist getting out of the sun.”

Doctors advise everyone to stay hydrated with electrolytes and water, limit time outside, wear light-colored clothing and get into air conditioning whenever possible. They say to seek treatment by calling 911 or visiting the emergency room for heatstroke and severe heat exhaustion. With one more scorcher expected today, the message is clear: take this heat seriously.

“Heat stroke can very well be fatal and if it’s not fatal, it can result in morbidity, meaning maybe dialysis because your kidneys aren’t working or heart disease because your heart was working too hard,” said Dr. Tartacoff. “I would ask anybody to please be aware of how dangerous the heat is. Don't take it for granted that it’s not going to affect you because we all often feel immortal and it can affect you and it can affect you quickly so please be on guard for these kinds of illnesses.”

Cooling centers remain open across the region for those who are having trouble staying cool. For a list of cooling centers across New Jersey, you can visit NJ211.org.