ESCANABA — Spring is upon us, and summer will be here in a week. The days are lengthening, and the flowers are blooming. Everyone welcomes this time of year, with plans being hatched about how best to get outdoors. But residents of this region will all agree, it was the mildest winter on record. Could this be representative of climate change? Political leanings are no longer relevant to this discussion, it is a warming planet. And that means dealing with extreme heat.

Wildfires are now a seasonal occurrence in California. Winters in the Northeast grow milder, and less snow is falling in many parts of the world. News of the disappearing ice sheets are seen with regularity. Denizens of many parts of the world have been experiencing “heat events,” perhaps the most dangerous component of climate change.

An extreme heat event is a series of days that are much hotter than average for the region. Extreme heat is deadly and kills more people than any other weather event. The weather service has developed a warning system to alert the public as it becomes clear these rising temps have the potential to kill millions. Heat Watches are issued when conditions are favorable for an excessive heat event in the next few days, while a Heat Warning is used when the heat wave is impending, arriving within the next 12 hours.

The human body has a unique approach to accommodating higher temps. Homo sapiens have developed what amounts to an internal sprinkler system. Many refer to it as sweating, whereby our exterior is doused with water, cooling us as it evaporates. When we are physically active in the midst of higher temperatures, we can lose as much as two quarts of fluid in an hour. This heat loss from our surface cools the blood in the superficial blood vessels, helping throughout the body as it continues its journey around the circulatory system.

If the ambient temps rise too high, sweating may not be able to keep up. Even if the air temperature isn’t that high, but it’s too humid, sweating becomes less effective since the air is already saturated with moisture. The blood doesn’t cool down, and as a result, the body’s core temperature increases, triggering a series of emergency protocols in an attempt to protect vital functions. When core temp increases, without proper and prompt treatment, organ failure will result.

Most of us think of such events as belonging to some other world, but more Americans are realizing they must learn how to deal with soaring temps and the associated dangers. Our cities were built when climate change wasn’t an issue and electricity was cheap. Most urban buildings and skyscrapers will be a death trap should a heat wave lead to a power outage, a growing concern amongst city planners, especially those cities residing in more southern latitudes.

There is confusion by many regarding heat exhaustion versus heat stroke. The primary symptoms of the latter consist of a change in mental status, like confusion or delirium, and seizures or loss of consciousness may occur. When the water loss of sweating and the subsequent cooling is insufficient, core temperature rises.

A temperature above 104 F is associated with heat stroke and is a medical emergency, with lowering core temp the only effective treatment (think ice baths). Heat exhaustion is different but can progress to heat stroke if untreated. It presents with dizziness, headache, nausea, weakness, and muscle cramps, as some common signs. With heat exhaustion, the pulse rate will be fast and weak, breathing fast and shallow.

Although certain individuals are more susceptible to heat-related illness, everyone can benefit from planning for emergencies. Although no one can say how much, we know temperatures will increase in the coming years. One sensible recommendation is to stay hydrated, with most needing about three-fourths of a gallon per day. But drinking lots of water won’t prevent heat stroke, which is absolutely possible in someone well-hydrated.

Various measures should be taken in the face of an impending heat event. Gathering food and water prior to the emergency is obviously recommended. Plan on storing about one gallon of drinking water per person per day. Reduce your sun and heat exposure as much as possible by restricting daytime activities. Wear sunscreen and wide-brimmed hats whenever outside.

Heat is likely to become a first order threat, defining the daily lives of millions of individuals. The mass migration of both animals and humans has already begun, all attempting to escape the heat. Meanwhile, large parts of the U.S. have experienced record temps, wilting crops under excessive early-season heatwaves. Record temps are being set globally every year.

Perhaps we need to think about heat in a different way, treating it as an active force, one that can kill you before you even realize your life is at risk. A study published in 2017 states that by the year 2100, three-fourths of the world’s population will be subjected to at least 20 days of deadly heat waves per year. Who will survive and how are urgent questions that need to be asked. But the future seems clear: learn to deal with extreme heat. To some degree, it’s coming to all of us.

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Dr. Conway McLean is a physician practicing foot and ankle medicine in the Upper Peninsula, with offices in Escanaba, Marquette, and L’Anse. McLean has lectured internationally on wound care and surgery, being board certified in surgery, orthotic therapy and wound care. His articles on health and wellness appear in multiple local and national publications. Dr. McLean welcomes subject requests for future articles at drcmclean@outlook.com.