The Heat is On: Resources for Patients to Stay Safe This Summer
The Independence Day heat wave was not just uncomfortable. It was a mass casualty event in slow motion.
More than 470 heat-related emergency room visits were recorded during the week of June 28 through July 4 — more ER visits in that single week than in the entire heat period since May. Statewide, there had been 916 heat-related emergency room or urgent care visits from the start of the heat period through that week. The dashboard also logged 935 calls for heat-related emergency medical services, half of them during that same week.
Dr. Cheyenne Falat, assistant medical director of the Adult Emergency Department at the University of Maryland Medical Center, attributed the severity to the combination of very high temperatures and very high humidity, which drove patients in with heat illnesses across the full clinical spectrum.
The opportunity to advise patients is upstream.
Dr. Falat noted that less-urgent presentations were teaching moments: hydrate before heading into the sun, and avoid sweet drinks, alcohol, and caffeine in high heat. She urges patients to recognize early symptoms before they escalate — thirst, swollen or crampy legs, nausea, lightheadedness. That is the window to get indoors, get to air conditioning, and rehydrate with water or an occasional electrolyte solution. If a patient does not improve within one to two hours, they should call or come in.
The CDC's heat illness warning signs flyer is printable and available in multiple languages — worth having at the front desk or in your patient portal for the rest of the summer. The CDC also maintains condition-specific heat toolkits for patients with asthma, cardiovascular disease, and pregnancy.
Who to flag in your panel
- Patients on prescription or over-the-counter medications that raise heat illness risk
- Patients aged 65 and older and anyone with chronic illness, who carry the highest risk
- Outdoor workers and patients without reliable air conditioning
For clinical management, the Society of Critical Care Medicine published updated heat stroke guidelines in February 2025, with strong recommendations on cooling strategies and core temperature targets. The American Family Physician April 2026 update covers the full spectrum from heat cramps to exertional heat stroke and is a useful clinical reference for primary care.
Last year's heat period produced 36 deaths, the most in more than a decade, along with nearly 1,700 emergency room visits. This year's death toll stands at five so far, with several months remaining.
MDH surveillance for heat-related illness runs through October 3, 2026. The Weather-Related Illness Data Dashboard updates every Wednesday.
Read the full Maryland Matters report → | MDH Extreme Heat Resources →