As summer heat descends, here's how unhoused can stay safe, aware

Jul. 7—As Norman trudges through 100-plus-degree temperatures and heat advisory warnings over the coming days, unhoused residents will bear the brunt of the summer weather.

Summer temperatures have fully arrived in Norman, where the National Weather Service forecasts a 103-degree high on Thursday.

The afternoons in Norman will be the hottest and riskiest parts of coming days — the National Weather Service has a heat advisory out for Thursday afternoon and will likely extend it to Friday afternoon, meteorologist John Pike said.

For unhoused people, extreme heat poses a number of threats. Roughly 750 unhoused people in the United States die heat-related deaths annually, according to the Associated Press.

The weather can exacerbate pre-existing chronic health conditions, said April Doshier, executive director at Food and Shelter.

Becky Tyler is unhoused, and said she has both asthma and a brain tumor; the heat makes her health conditions miserable, she said.

Tyler said while the days are hot, darkness doesn't bring much relief, especially when temperatures stay in the 80s and 90s into the night. She lives in a tent behind a church, she said.

High heat can also cause heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

Jerry Schmit has been unhoused for a few years, and has experienced heat stroke twice. One of those times required hospitalization, an expense only made possible by SoonerCare and Medicare, Schmit said.

Schmit can't sweat, he said, and deals with seizures and COPD, both of which are made worse in the heat.

Alex Smith has been homeless for about five years, he said. Last summer, he dealt with heat illness four times.

Dr. Robin Mantooth is an emergency room physician and chair of the emergency department at Norman Regional Health System. She said the emergency room sees heat-related injuries — from exhaustion to heat stroke — daily during hot summer months.

The warning signs

Mantooth said there are a range of symptoms for heat illness, some of which require expert care more quickly than others.

The first signs of heat illness are usually lightheadedness and a person's inability to keep doing whatever task or job they were doing, she said. If a person experiences those symptoms or sees them in someone else, they should get the affected person to shade, give them water and let them rest.

If the person's condition isn't improving within 10 to 15 minutes, it's time to get professional medical help, Mantooth said. Professionals should also be called in if the affected person is dealing with confusion, a personality shift, unconsciousness or a seizure, all of which can be very serious heat illness symptoms, she said.

Mantooth said it's essential to identify heat health issues quickly and act. If you're not feeling well, it's time to stop what you're doing, get in the shade and drink water, she said.

"I think a lot of people think, 'We live in Oklahoma, we're used to the heat, it's no big deal,' so we see a lot of times, people just push through it," Mantooth said. "A lot of these are young, healthy people who normally do well, and then they just keep pushing themselves to complete their job, complete their task, keep doing what they're doing."

Preventing heat injury

Norman offers a few spaces where unhoused residents can find daytime relief.

Norman's libraries can offer a spot to cool off and stay for a bit, Doshier said. The three libraries are located at 103 W. Acres St. (Central location), 3051 Alameda St. (East location) and 300 Norman Center (West location).

Unhoused residents have also had luck boarding buses with Norman's public transit system for some air conditioning access, Doshier said. Bus schedules are available at embarkok.com/norman; Smith said people usually use the buses on an hour-long route.

Food and Shelter, 201 Reed Ave., offers both a cool spot to hang out during the day and a number of physical resources for protection from the heat. Doshier said the organization is handing out lots of water and ice, sunscreen and hats.

Beyond finding a cooling-off spot, Doshier and Pike said people should wear light-colored clothing if possible. Activity or outdoor work should be limited to early mornings and evenings, Pike said.

It's important to stay hydrated; Smith noted that electrolyte packets are especially helpful. He recommended external water-related cooling resources like taking a dip in the Canadian River, using the splash pad at Andrews Park and pouring water on yourself.

Mantooth said people should avoid using substances — even legal ones like alcohol or medical marijuana — since substances can magnify the effects of the heat and heat illness.

Norman has a Facebook page — at bit.ly/3NP6mhN — dedicated to updates on tiny food pantries around town that stock mostly non-perishable foods and toiletries.

How to help

If people have the resources, Doshier said it'd be helpful for them to carry bottled water in the car for handouts to those in need. If Normanites are uncomfortable giving out water themselves, they can donate it to Food and Shelter or other local organizations that can give it directly to the unhoused.

Smith, Schmit and Tyler said cold water would be helpful for them; Smith added that carrying and passing out electrolytes could also assist someone.

Smith said last summer, he encountered someone handing out rags that had been soaked in ice water and could be wrapped around necks. Handheld, rechargeable fans are a help as well, Smith said.

Emma Keith is the editor of The Transcript, where she covers Norman Public Schools and the University of Oklahoma. Reach her at ekeith@normantranscript.com or at @emma_ckeith.