Sizzling sidewalks and unshaded playgrounds are a danger for catastrophic burn injuries as air temperatures reach new summer highs in desert cities like Phoenix and Las Vegas. Very young children, older adults and homeless people are especially at risk for contact burns. They can occur in just a few seconds when the skin touches a hot surface reaching up to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Last summer saw a dramatic increase in patients hospitalized after being scalded by asphalt, sidewalks and other hot surfaces at burn centers in Phoenix and Las Vegas. Hospitalizations are up this year, as well.
Swaths of California are sweltering and things are only expected to get worse during the Fourth of July holiday week for parts of the United States with nearly 90 million people under heat alerts. Forecasters say Tuesday that the torrid conditions are being caused by a ridge of high pressure just off the West Coast and a separate ridge that has spawned heat warnings and advisories from Kansas and Missouri to the Gulf Coast states. California's capital, Sacramento, is under an excessive heat warning expected to last until Sunday night, with temperatures forecast to reach between 105 degrees and 115 degrees.
President Joe Biden has proposed a new rule to address excessive heat in the workplace. The Democrat warns as tens of millions of people in the U.S. are under heat advisories that high temperatures are the country's leading weather-related killer. If finalized, the measure unveiled Tuesday by the Democratic president would protect an estimated 36 million U.S. workers from injuries related to heat exposure on the job — establishing the first major federal safety standard of its kind. Those affected by excessive heat in the workplace include farmworkers, delivery and construction workers, landscapers, gardeners and workers in warehouses, factories and kitchens. Biden says more people die from extreme heat than from floods, hurricanes and tornadoes combined.
Summer means playgrounds, pools, bikes and being outside for kids. Pediatricians say it can also mean more potential for injuries like dehydration, sunburns and scrapes. They suggest keeping your child hydrated and avoiding prolonged sun exposure to keep heat illness at bay. Don't leave kids unmonitored around pools or other bodies of water. Most scrapes from playing outside can be taken care of at home. But if the injury shows signs of infection or there's swelling, take your child to the doctor.
As the first heat wave of the season ripples across the U.S., summer camps are working to keep their children cool while still letting the kids enjoy being outside with nature. It's something they say they've been aware of for several years as climate change meant rising heat. Experts say children can be more vulnerable to extreme heat than adults, and it's important to monitor the children and train counselors to respond to problems. At Camp Kern in Oregonia, Ohio, campers and counselors could cool off with extra pool and lake time, air-conditioned cabins and a new splash pad.
