CLOSER TOWARDS 100. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SABRINA. WELL, OUR TEAM COVERAGE TURNS NOW TO K-O-C-O’S OLIVIA HICKEY. OLIVIA, WE’VE HAD THIS ALERT FOR MORE THAN A WEEK NOW. HOW SERIOUS IS IT FOR PEOPLE AT HOME? IT’S PRETTY SERIOUS. PEOPLE SHOULD BE MINDFUL OF THIS. CHANTAL. NOW, EMSA TELLS ME THEY SEE ABOUT SIX OF THESE HEAT ALERTS THAT GO INTO EFFECT EVERY SUMMER. NOW THEY TELL ME IT GOES INTO EFFECT WHEN FIVE OR MORE HEAT RELATED CALLS COME THROUGH TO THEIR DISPATCHERS, AND THEIR PARAMEDICS RESPOND WITHIN A 24 HOUR PERIOD. NOW, I SPOKE WITH COLIN ROY, WHO TELLS ME THEY’VE BEEN SEEING SEVERAL PEOPLE WITH VARYING SEVERITY OF HEAT ILLNESS RELATED SYMPTOMS THROUGHOUT THE OKLAHOMA CITY AREA, ANYWHERE FROM JUST A LITTLE BIT OF HEAT EXHAUSTION, WHICH IS JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU’RE STILL SWEATING, BUT YOU’RE JUST YOU’RE TIRED, YOU’RE DISORIENTED A LITTLE BIT DIZZINESS AND THAT ALL THE WAY UP TO WHERE WE’VE HAD A COUPLE OF ACTUAL HEAT STROKES, AND THAT’S WHERE THE BODY IS REALLY STARTING TO SHUT DOWN. ITS ABILITY TO COPE WITH THE HEAT AND EVAPORATE AND GET THE BODY COOLED OFF. AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE LIFE THREATENING. IN ORDER FOR A HEAT ALERT TO END CALLS, RELATE TO THE HEAT, HAVE TO TAPER OFF WITH THE HIGH TEMPERATURES EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INTO THIS WEEK. ROY TELLS ME THIS HEAT ALERT COULD LAST A WHILE. NOW, IN THE MEANTIME, CREWS WILL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW HEAT PROTOCOLS WHEN ASSISTING PATIENTS HAVE A PROCESS THAT WE CALL DELUGE, WHERE WE TAKE SOMEBODY THAT’S IN A HEAT STROKE, LIFE THREATENING SITUATION AND WE’LL GET THEM INTO A BAG TYPE DEVICE AND PUT COLD WATER OR ICE AND ICE WATER ON THEM AND START TO GET THEIR CORE TEMPERATURE DOWN. WE CAN USUALLY AFFECT THEIR CORE TEMPERATURE RAPIDLY. NOW, ROY WANTS TO REMIND EVERYONE AS WE HEAD INTO A NEW WEEK, TO TREAT THIS WEATHER LIKE YOU WOULD TREAT ANY OTHER SEVERE OKLAHOMA WEATHER. KNOW YOUR LIMITS, STAY HYDRATED, AND STAY OUT OF THE HEAT FO
EMSA medical heat alert continues as sweltering temperatures hit Oklahoma
EMSA has issued a medical heat alert in Oklahoma due to a surge in heat-related illness calls, urging residents to take precautions as high temperatures persist.
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Updated: 5:35 PM CDT Jul 20, 2025
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EMSA has issued a medical heat alert in Oklahoma, effective since July 9, as medics respond to an increasing number of heat-related illness calls amid ongoing high temperatures. >> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channelThe alert is triggered when EMSA receives five or more heat-related illness calls within a 24-hour period."Anywhere from just a little bit of heat exhaustion, which is just, you know, you're still sweating, but you're just you're tired, you're disoriented a little bit, dizziness and that all the way up to where we've had a couple of actual heat strokes, and that's where the body is really starting to shut down. Its ability to cope with the heat and evaporate and get the body cooled off. And those are the ones that are life-threatening,” said Colin Roy, operations supervisor for EMSA.The heat alert will remain in place until the number of heat-related calls decreases, which may take some time given the forecast for continued high temperatures. EMSA crews are following heat protocols to assist patients, including a process called "deluge" for those in life-threatening heat stroke situations. "We have a process that we call deluge where we take, somebody that's in a heat stroke, life threatening situation, and we'll get them into a bag type, device and put cold water or ice and ice water on them and start to get their core temperature down. We can usually affect their core temperature rapidly,” Roy said.Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.Heading into the new week, Roy wants to remind everyone to know their limits and to take caution with this heat like they would any other severe weather in Oklahoma, advising residents to hydrate and stay in the shade or indoors when possible.Top HeadlinesAn Arizona resident has just died of the plague – Here’s what to know about this diseaseHow handwritten notes led rescuers to missing California mother and son3 people are still missing from deadly July 4 floods in Texas county, down from nearly 100Alert issued for woman missing from Oklahoma City since July 14Man convicted of killing two Indiana teenage girls transferred to Oklahoma prison
OKLAHOMA CITY — EMSA has issued a medical heat alert in Oklahoma, effective since July 9, as medics respond to an increasing number of heat-related illness calls amid ongoing high temperatures.
>> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel
The alert is triggered when EMSA receives five or more heat-related illness calls within a 24-hour period.
"Anywhere from just a little bit of heat exhaustion, which is just, you know, you're still sweating, but you're just you're tired, you're disoriented a little bit, dizziness and that all the way up to where we've had a couple of actual heat strokes, and that's where the body is really starting to shut down. Its ability to cope with the heat and evaporate and get the body cooled off. And those are the ones that are life-threatening,” said Colin Roy, operations supervisor for EMSA.
The heat alert will remain in place until the number of heat-related calls decreases, which may take some time given the forecast for continued high temperatures.
EMSA crews are following heat protocols to assist patients, including a process called "deluge" for those in life-threatening heat stroke situations.
"We have a process that we call deluge where we take, somebody that's in a heat stroke, life threatening situation, and we'll get them into a bag type, device and put cold water or ice and ice water on them and start to get their core temperature down. We can usually affect their core temperature rapidly,” Roy said.
Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.
Heading into the new week, Roy wants to remind everyone to know their limits and to take caution with this heat like they would any other severe weather in Oklahoma, advising residents to hydrate and stay in the shade or indoors when possible.
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