San Antonio woman dies on Fredericksburg Road during heat warning
San Antonio police responded Thursday to reports of a woman found unconscious on a sidewalk north of downtown. She likely died from the heat, police told KENS5 at the time.
The woman, believed to be 46 years old, was found in the 120 block of East Fredericksburg Road. The emergency call came because of cardiac arrest and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
“The cause of death is currently unknown as the medical examiner will conduct a death investigation,” SAPD officer Ricardo Guzman said Friday. “No signs of injury were observed on the victim.”
KENS5 reported that police on the scene said the woman died of presumed natural causes from heat-related illness when temperatures reached 105 degrees on Thursday during a heat advisory.
Bexar County does not track heat-related deaths, but the city’s Metropolitan Health District posts weekly heat-related illness reports on an online dashboard.
Metro Health said it does not record heat-related deaths because it is not a reportable condition.
“Metro Health is investigating deaths reported due to heat-related illnesses, working with the Bexar County Medical Examiner and data obtained from death certificates,” Metro Health spokeswoman Krystal Alvarez said in a statement.
So far this month, 88 people have fallen ill with heat-related illnesses.
Chief Operating Officer Gay Lynn Schwenk told the San Antonio Report that SAMMinistries is aware that the overall number of heat-related deaths is increasing.
“It’s really important … to see these deaths documented and how much education we can provide about protecting ourselves from the heat,” she said. “We know that temperatures are rising and staying hot for longer periods of time, and we know that there are hundreds of people living right on the streets that we need to provide shelter and resources to.”
Bexar County officials have said it is difficult to determine when someone dies from heat-related illness because those affected are more vulnerable to heat due to underlying health problems.
And if they die, their death could be documented as the result of an overdose or other untreated illness.
“Sometimes people die very likely from the effects of the heat and because it made their illness worse, but it may also be solely due to that,” Schwenk said.
As temperatures continue to rise, she believes it is more important than ever to address underlying health issues.
Steven Moore, associate professor in the department of emergency medicine at UT Health San Antonio and an emergency physician at University Health, said medications and underlying health problems naturally lead to dehydration in susceptible people.
“Older people may not respond appropriately to the heat due to some of the medications they take, such as sweating or a slow heart rate,” he said.
The groups most likely to visit emergency rooms for heat-related illnesses include the homeless, construction workers, and vulnerable populations such as seniors.
An active online petition calls on the San Antonio City Council and Bexar County Commissioners to record heat-related deaths.
Schwenk said data tracking could give health officials and nonprofits working with housed people more insight into their response options.
Currently, organizations and health authorities are pushing for prevention. It’s all about prevention, they say.
Recognize the signs: Heat-related illnesses occur quickly after symptoms appear, Moore said. If you see someone feeling nauseous, vomiting, dizzy or having cramps, try to help them cool down. If someone is confused or having seizures, neurological damage can begin within 30 minutes, so call 9-1-1.
Click here to view cooling centers throughout San Antonio. At these locations you’ll find a splash pad or pool to cool off in.
