Multimedia Package by Patty Baugher, Tina Davis and Jen Chandler
Downtown is hot and it’s only getting hotter. Employees at NP Healthcare Downtown Phoenix have not seen many patients suffering from heat complications yet, but with temperatures expected to top 115 degrees by August, this is likely to change.
Visitors and newcomers to the area need to prepare for such extreme temperatures, professionals associated with Arizona State University’s School of Nursing & Innovation said. Medical Assistants Ismene Ortiz and Sylvia Polanco suggest some of the basics of heat survival such as wearing sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, donning a hat, and drinking plenty of fluids.
Outreach Coordinator Debbie Vincent agrees.
“Every one hour you should be drinking 4 ounces of water,” said Vincent.
Failure to do this can result in complications such as urinary tract infections, headaches, dry eyes, chapped lips and cracked skin on the heels and elbows, said Vincent, who also recommends avoiding things like caffeine and alcoholic beverages.
Wearing a head covering “helps shade your eyes so your eye sockets don’t dry out and it actually allows the pupils to open and dilate more appropriately…,” Vincent said.
Vincent also advises that even on a cloudy day there is still a risk of heat-related concerns so visitors need to follow these simple steps to beat the heat.
Medical care is available at the health clinic whose summer hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The facility is closed daily from 1-2 p.m. for lunch.
Reynolds Institute Myrna Greenberg shields herself against 100 degree temperatures in downtown Phoenix. 
Medical Assistant Ismene Ortiz of the Arizona State University's School of Nursing & Innovation suggest the keys to surviving the heat are sunscreen, hats, water and sunglasses. 
Outreach Coordinator Debbie Vincent advises out of town visitors about how to handle the heat.
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