Phoenix firefighters see rise in heat sickness calls

PHOENIX - The heat is up, and so are the number of heat-related calls firefighters are getting.

Arizona fire crews are still counting the numbers for an official total, but firefighters say they've seen an uptick of heat calls since this stretch of extreme heat began.

The two main groups first responders are worried about are the homeless and the elderly. They are the most vulnerable to heat issues and contribute to the most heat deaths each year.

Heat sickness calls on the rise

The heat is on, and so are the heat calls for help all across the Valley. Theres no end in sight, as the Valley adds to the new record of days above 110°F. FOX 10s Brian Webb reports.

Last year, Maricopa County recorded 425 heat deaths. So far, at least 12 have died with 55 under investigation. It's a number that's sure to rise as long as the extreme heat sticks around.

"We are seeing an uptick in emergency calls, whether it be heat exhaustion, heat cramps, dehydration," says Capt. Kim Ragsdale with the Phoenix Fire Department. "We see an uptick when temperatures are this high."