By Eric Spacek and Cindy Preisig, R.N.
Whether you’re planning outdoor events or worshipping in a building that doesn’t have air conditioning, heat can become a major risk factor for churches during warmer months. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 1,220 people are killed by extreme heat in the United States every year. And many more become seriously ill because of rising temperatures.
You have an obligation to protect your staff, volunteers, members and guests by taking important precautions in times of both extreme heat and high humidity. The heat index is what the temperature feels like to the human body when the relative humidity is combined with the air temperature. The higher the humidity, the less a person is able to cool themself through sweat. So, it’s important to look at the heat index when planning events. You can use the National Weather Service’s calculator at https://www.weather.gov/ama/heatindex to help determine the heat index.
Types of heat illness
There are two types of heat illness: heat exhaustion and heat stroke. If you don’t treat heat exhaustion right away, it can lead to heat stroke, which is a very dangerous condition. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include:
- Dizziness or feeling faint.
- Cold, pale and clammy skin.
- Nausea or vomiting.
- Heavy sweating.
- Weakness or muscle cramps.
Symptoms of heat stroke, on the other hand, include:
- Dry, hot skin with no sweating.
- A body temperature greater than 103 degrees Fahrenheit.
- A rapid heart rate.
- Confusion, delirium, nausea or vomiting.
- Loss of consciousness.
How do you protect your people?
Whenever you host a worship service or other event outdoors, share the following safety precautions with your congregation:
- Drink plenty of fluids. When you stay hydrated, your body sweats, which allows it to maintain a normal body temperature.
- Eat light. When you take in more calories, your body produces more heat, which can cause it to become overheated when the heat index is high.
- Choose appropriate clothing. Cotton allows skin to breathe and absorbs sweat. Also, you should wear lighter colors that reflect heat and sunlight — dark colors absorb heat.
- Protect against sunburn. Of course, sunburn by itself harms the body and can lead to skin cancer. But it also affects your body’s ability to cool itself. Choose a sunblock with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30, and reapply every two hours.
- Take extra precautions with certain medications and medical conditions. Some medications and medical conditions including pregnancy and age can cause the body to become even more sensitive to heat, leading to dehydration and possible injury or death.
As a church, you can:
- Set up hydration stations — Ensure there is plenty of water to drink, and strongly encourage staff and guests to drink at regular intervals.
- Provide a cooling area where people can recover from the heat — If you don’t have air conditioning, you can set up a tent with shade and fans.
- Keep an eye out for heat-related illnesses — In a church, people watch out for each other, and this should be especially true when it is dangerously hot. Know the signs of heat illness, and make sure others do, too.
- Have an emergency plan — Have a clear action plan for heat emergencies, including accessible first aid stations and trained staff ready to respond if someone is suspected of experiencing heat exhaustion or stroke. Or, adjusting schedules to avoid hosting activities when the heat is most extreme.
Eric Spacek is Assistant Vice President – Risk Control for Church Mutual Insurance Company, S.I.
Cindy Preisig, R.N., is senior nurse case manager at Church Mutual Insurance Company, S.I.
