Essex, Middle River Residents Try to Stay Cool

Alyssa Taylor knew she was going to be in for a long day the minute she pulled up to her job at the Icy Delight snowball stand in the parking lot of the Middlesex Shopping Center.

A line of customers was waiting to purchase a snowball as part of their plan for staying cool as the Essex-Middle River area deals with a record heat wave.

“It’s hot and people do what they got to do to stay cool,” said Taylor as she dished out a cherry snowball to a youngster. “It’s not easy to be out here. Trust me, I’m dying in here right now.”

Taylor is not alone.

According to the National Weather Service, there was a heat advisory in effect until 8 p.m. on Wednesday, with another advisory in effect from noon until 8 p.m. on Thursday.

Temperatures reached 96 degrees on Wednesday with the heat index making it feel like 101, according to the National Weather Service. A similar forecast is predicted for Thursday, with the heat index making it feel like 103. The area should finally receive a slight break from the heat on Friday, when it should be only 89 with a chance of thunderstorms.

The heat led Baltimore County Public Schools to close two hours early on Wednesday, with similar plans set for Thursday.

Local and state health officials are warning residents, especially children, seniors and those with health conditions, to stay cool and remain indoors if possible. The state Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) announced Tuesday that Maryland just recorded its first heat-related deaths of 2011.

According to a news release, the residents were both senior citizens, aged 65 or older, who died in the past 10 days from excess heat exposure.          

Both of the affected residents, a Cecil County man and an Anne Arundel County woman, had underlying medical conditions. The DHMH reports that there were 32 confirmed heat-related deaths in Maryland, after there were six in 2009, 17 in 2008 and 21 in 2007.

DHMH cautions Maryland citizens that heatstroke and heat exhaustion can develop from the hot and humid conditions typically associated with Maryland summers.

"Extreme heat can be deadly," said DHMH Secretary Dr. Joshua M. Sharfstein  in a statement. “Everyone should review the warning signs of danger.”

According to DHMH, heatstroke is a serious illness characterized by a body temperature greater then 105 degrees. Symptoms may include dry red skin, convulsions, disorientation, delirium and coma.

Onset of heatstroke can be rapid: a person can go from feeling apparently well to a seriously ill condition within minutes. Treatment of heatstroke involves the rapid lowering of body temperature using a cool bath or wet towels. A heatstroke victim should be kept in a cool area; emergency medical care should be obtained by dialing 911.

Heat exhaustion is a milder form of heatstroke that may develop due to a combination of several days with high temperatures and dehydration in an individual. Signs of heat exhaustion include extreme weakness, muscle cramps, nausea or headache.

Victims may also vomit or faint. Heat exhaustion is treated with plenty of liquids and rest in a cool, shaded area. Those on a low-sodium diet or with other health problems should contact a doctor.

Baltimore County health officials are reminding residents that area senior centers are open to those of all ages from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. from May through September. In addition, those looking to stay cool can also utilize local libraries.

Finding a “cooling” place could be even more important should you lose power, something BGE officials warn is always a possibility when it gets this hot.

“We are always monitoring our equipment when the temperatures get this high and we’re dealing with a large increase in usage,” BGE spokesman Linda Foy said. “Our wires are very hot on a normal day and this weather only makes it even hotter. We are always examining what resources we have at our disposal and are ready to make the proper changes when needed.”

Marlena Yates was one person who followed the advice of looking for a place to stay cool.

The 15-year-old Kenwood freshman stopped by the Essex Library after first enjoying a mango snowball from Icy Delights along with her younger sister Katlyn, 12.

“You just do what you have to do to stay cool on days like today,” Yates said. “There’s only so much you can do when it gets to be 100 degrees outside.”