COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — Tennis instructor Jimmy Hicks gave lessons at Veterans Memorial Park in North Naples in the early afternoon Monday - the hottest part of the day. While the high temperature was around 86 degrees, the heat index and humidity made it feel like 97 degrees.
"We wear sunscreen and make sure we have plenty of water on hand," Hicks said.
Heather Mazurkiewicz, public education coordinator for the North Collier Fire-Rescue District, said the department has responded to a few calls for heat exhaustion in the past few weeks - mostly to the Gulf beaches.
"It can escalate to heat stroke very quickly," Mazurkiewicz said. "And heat stroke is deadly."
She said that while it's easy to be overcome by the scorching temperatures, it's also easy to recognize the symptoms of heat exhaustion.
"That can be anything from fatigue, to headaches and some dizziness," Mazurkiewicz said. "So once you begin to feel those initial symptoms, please take action and stop what you're doing."
She said that's when it's time to stop exercising, get to a cool place and hydrate. She added that one sure sign of dehydration is dark-yellow urine.
Anyone experiencing symptoms such as confusion or shortness of breath from being in the heat may be suffering from heat stroke, and should call 911, Mazurkiewicz said.
