DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Ambulance drivers confirm they’ve responded to numerous calls in the dangerous heat.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
“These trucks are ready to go,” explained Israel Contreras at a busy American Medical Response in DeKalb County.
As the heat rises, so do the heat-related 911 calls AMR has responded to.
Advanced EMT Derrick Murphy explained to Channel 2’s Candace McCowan the type of people he is treating daily.
“People outside working, actually outside working, or don’t have AC,” said Murphy. “Some of them don’t understand how dangerous this heat is. They’re shirtless and taking off layers, they don’t know that sometimes that heats the body up more, the sun coming down beaming on them.”
Often, their calls can be treated at the scene.
“Taking them to a shady spot, putting them into the back of a cooled vehicle, and cooling them down as cautiously as possible,” explained Contreras. “It could be as simple as a cooling towel.”
TRENDING STORIES:
- Radioactive wasps found at S.C. nuclear site
- ‘He terrified me’: Gwinnett man held at gunpoint by police as he was leaving work
- Man took video of elderly woman who died, napped in car instead of calling for help, police say
However, other times it requires more, such as IV fluids and a trip to the hospital. Part of their work is keeping themselves hydrated and their vehicles operating properly.
“Our mechanics are working really hard right now to keep our ACs working. That is one of the challenges we have in the summertime is mechanical issues with our air conditioners,” said Contreras.
They’re ready to respond, but say it’s important everyone knows when it’s time to call for help.
“If you pass out, you start vomiting, you can’t keep the fluids down, you’re not producing sweat, all of those things you should be calling 911,” said Contreras.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2025 Cox Media Group
