Agency Helping Oklahomans Stay Cool in the Heat

By Adrianna Iwasinski, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The heat is taking a toll on many Oklahomans, especially the elderly.

EMSA said paramedics responded to more than a dozen calls over the weekend, with some patients in full cardiac arrest. EMSA spokesperson Laura O'Leary said heat is believed to have been a factor in many of those calls.

Paramedics are warning people to stay out of the heat, especially during the middle of the day. The NEWS 9 weather department said most of the state is under a heat advisory and the heat index is expected to reach between 105 and 110 degrees. Paramedics said your body temperature can rise when exposed to extreme heat, and there are warning signs you need to watch for to stay safe.

The Community Action Agency is one place trying to help the elderly beat the heat. It provides fans to low-income homes and say there has been a spike in requests for those fans. They've already given away more than 500 fans to needy senior citizens and still have more to give away. They also provide places older loved ones can go to beat the heat, but many of them are telling the Community Action Agency that it is too hot to even leave the house to attend.

Learn more about where to find help for aging Oklahomans against the heat