Extreme Heat in Phoenix Fills Emergency Rooms with Burn Injuries

Phoenix, the capital of Arizona, is currently grappling with a relentless heatwave that continues to shatter temperature records. For the past 27 days, the city’s thermometer has consistently soared to 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 degrees Celsius) or even higher. Nights have been no respite, with temperatures staying above 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30°C) or 87.8 degrees Fahrenheit (31°C). These extreme conditions have turned the city into an unliveable oven, and the human body is paying a heavy toll, both internally and externally. The scorching heat is causing severe burn injuries and landing people in the emergency rooms of Phoenix hospitals.

Valleywise Hospital, one of the largest healthcare facilities in the city, has been experiencing an alarming rise in burn injury cases. The Arizona Burn Centre, located within Valleywise Hospital, has seen an influx of patients with increasingly complex burn wounds caused by the intense heat. According to data from June, July, and August 2022, 85 people were admitted to the burn centre for heat-related burns, with 26 of them being homeless. Tragically, seven of these patients succumbed to their injuries. This year, the burn centre’s 45 beds are fully occupied, indicating the severity of the situation. In the state of Arizona last year, 257 people died in the heat, at least as far as coroners could identify, according to an article on climate change in the Financial Times, which showed that these deaths were an exponential jump over the past few decades; the average number of people dying from the heat between 1990 and 2015 was about 38 a year.

This tweet explains how the continuous high temperatures and how night-time temperatures staying above 30ºC are causing these extreme reactions.

Phoenix will become the first major city in American history to average over 100°F for an entire month.

The city has experienced a virtually continuous heatwave since the beginning of July, with an average high of 114.1°F and an average low of 90.2°F.

While Phoenix is used to… pic.twitter.com/xwgItnwxxE

— Colin McCarthy (@US_Stormwatch) July 21, 2023

The extent of injuries resulting from the extreme heat is staggering. Among the nearly 100 patients treated last year, burns covered anywhere from 5% to 23% of their bodies. Additionally, many patients suffered from hyperthermia, where the body’s temperature exceeds 42°C (107.6°F). The average stay for patients at the burn centre was 16 days, with one in three requiring intensive care. A significant portion of these patients, approximately 70%, needed assisted ventilation. Additionally, one patient required an astonishing 18 surgeries. Furthermore, 7 out of 10 patients needed further care from other specialists and one in four required readmission to the hospital.

The Phoenix Zoo increases monitoring of the animals during the hottest parts of the year to prevent heat-related illnesses. Watch how it cares for its animals during a heat wave. https://t.co/4b1LBLxlD1 pic.twitter.com/kUVSdzPXI2

— The New York Times (@nytimes) July 18, 2023

Kevin Foster, the director of the Arizona Burn Centre, has raised alarm bells about the dangers posed by hot surfaces such as concrete and asphalt. Surfaces like asphalt can be between 5 to 15 degrees Celsius hotter than the surrounding air, making them hazardous, especially for vulnerable populations like the elderly, infants, and children. In fact, just brief contact with such scorching surfaces can result in deep injuries, leading to severe burns.

The heatwave’s intensity and the escalating number of burn injury cases have left experts perplexed. Foster, speaking to CNN, described the situation as ‘rare’ and emphasised that the injuries being treated at the burn centre are ‘very, very serious.’ Falls on hot surfaces, such as asphalt, account for half of the cases admitted to the ICU.

“But this is really unusual — the number of patients that we’re seeing and the severity of injuries — the acuity of injuries is much higher,” said Dr. Kevin Foster, director of burn services at the Arizona Burn Centerhttps://t.co/NYZpb61sDg

— Joetorch (@Joetorch1) July 26, 2023

Heat-related injuries are not only affecting humans but also animals. Dogs, in particular, are vulnerable to burns and heat stroke, making it crucial for pet owners to take extra precautions when walking their pets in extreme temperatures.

As the heatwave continues to grip Phoenix and other regions in the southwestern United States, health officials urge residents to take extreme caution. Staying hydrated, avoiding outdoor activities during peak heat hours, and seeking shelter in cooling centres are some of the recommended measures to prevent heat-related injuries and illnesses.

With record temperatures in cities like Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona is using heavy-duty water trucks and helicopters to replenish a network of man-made watering holes, or catchments, across the state to help protect Arizona’s 800 species of wildlife. https://t.co/qsQ97OfgJA

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) July 21, 2023