Heat-related illness are a real threat in our community and nationwide. NBC 5’s Alicia Barrera reports authorities in Forth Worth are investigating how extreme heat may have played a role in a man’s death.
Authorities in Forth Worth are investigating how extreme heat may have played a role in a man's death.
Police were called to the 5400 block of Wilbarger Street after a woman woke up and found her husband unresponsive Wednesday morning. The man was later pronounced dead.
Though a cause of death has not been determined by the medical examiner’s office, a family told NBC 5 it was due to the heat.
A family member identified the victim as John Moore and added he had been without air conditioning for months.
Get top local stories in DFW delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC DFW's News Headlines newsletter.
According to MedStar, so far this summer season, they have responded to 118 heat-related emergencies. Of those, 70 patients had to be transported to the hospital.
"We are barely just getting into the summer season. In the summers here in North Texas can be very long," said MedStar spokesman Matt Zavadsky. "We just want to remind everyone that heat is serious. When you look at the thermometer and you see it's 90 degrees outside, the thermometer only tells one part of the story. The majority of the heat responses that we've had so far this summer are because of the heat index. The combination of the temperature and the humidity has been very, very high, 110, 111 or higher in some cases."
According to experts, symptoms of a heat-related emergency include profuse sweating, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and muscle cramps.
"If you find someone who is unresponsive, hot to the touch and bone dry, that is a medical emergency. Call 911 right away," Zavadsky said.
Fort Worth residents in need of ventilation or HVAC repairs can call 2-1-1 to apply for Community Action Partner Programs. According to the city website, “Most programs require participants to be at a specific level of household income according to the Federal Income Guidelines.”
Residents are also encouraged to visit local community centers to catch a break from the sun.
"The city of Fort Worth has teamed up with Reliant Energy to make sure that we have three community centers open with their lobbies, with air conditioning and more to beat the heat," Scott Daniels with the City of Fort Worth Neighborhood Services said. "Those community centers are Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, the Como Community Center, and the Northside Community Center. They'll have summer day camps going on."
Next week, residents in need will also have a chance to win appliances to stay cool in the comfort of their homes.
“Reliant Energy will be giving away about 30 of these brand new portable evaporative air coolers starting on Wednesday,” Daniels said.
Residents will have a chance to win an air cooler on Wednesday, June 28 at 10:30 a.m. The event will take place at the MLK Community Center located on Truman Drive.
To read about eligibility requirements for the City of Fort Worth's Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Repair Assistance, click here.
If you need utility bill payment assistance, click here.
