What triggers a heat advisory? EMSA explains as temps climb

EMSA wants folks to be cautious if you have to work outside. Whether it’s ballfields, high-rises, or sidewalks, working in the heat means knowing when to stop and cool down. And as EMSA warns - waiting too long could land you in the back of an ambulance.

Risk of Heat Exhaustion for Outdoor Workers

Before fans ever fill the stands at ONEOK Field, Gary Shepherd’s already walked miles under the sun.

“Been with the Drillers for about 30 years. Thirty seasons.”

Now, he times his tasks around the sun - and the sprinkler system.

“As I’m running the sprinklers on the outfield, I can walk by those and get a little bit of a mist,” said Shepherd.

He says the most dangerous stretch to work outdoors is midday. No shade. No break.

“The most concern that we have is probably that 1:00 to 5:00 time frame,” he said.

Recognizing the Signs of Heat Stroke: When to Seek Help

Corbin Wilson cleans our windows in the full force of the heat, where the sun reflects right back at him.

“The humidity around where I’m working, it’s always 100%,” he said. “It’s just cooking off the windows.”

Corbin says when you work as long as he has, you adapt, but staying on top of hydration isn’t always easy.

“That’s my first bottle of water today. First thing I’ve drank today, and it’s already almost noon.”

Those kinds of habits - and those kinds of temperatures - are what land people in Brett Palmatary’s ambulance.

“We get a lot of heat calls,” said Palmatary. “Typically, we’ll see people that are out working in the heat doing construction or landscaping.”

Once your body starts sending signals like cramping, dizziness, and even confusion, it may already be too late.

“If you ignore those signs and get into a heat stroke level, that’s when you actually stop sweating and you start getting extremely hot and confused,” Palmatary said.

EMSA Responds to Growing Number of Heat-Related Calls

And for the people who work in this heat every day, the real skill isn’t endurance. It’s knowing when to take a break.

Since Friday, EMSA says it’s responded to 21 heat-related calls, sending 12 of them to the hospital. And as temperatures rise, medics say so will the risks.

EMSA’s Medical Heat Alert remains in effect until those emergency calls slow down.

Their advice is to drink a lot of water, even before you're thirsty, and take plenty of breaks.