Panama City Beach officials remind everyone to stay safe in the sun this summer

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - As the temperatures rise Panama City Beach Fire Chief Ray Morgan says, so do the calls for heat-related incidents.

“We get a lot of dehydration calls and heat emergency-related calls. So being Florida and a tourist destination we always get calls regardless so but we expect that call volume to ramp up,” Morgan said.

Heat exhaustion is caused by exposure to high temperatures, especially when combined with high humidity, and strenuous physical activity.

Beach Safety director Wil Spivey says symptoms of heat exhaustion can include people feeling irritable, nauseous, and a loss of consciousness.

“They can stop sweating eventually if it is pushed too far and it can actually lead to a heat stroke, which is super dangerous, we take it very seriously,” Spivey said.

Spivey wants to remind folks to stay hydrated, bring an umbrella and monitor their time in the sun. Heat exhaustion can happen suddenly and in some cases, people can die from it.

“If you are out in these temperatures, this time of year down here, the weather is really working against you, especially if you are at the beach all day. Drinking alcohol on top of that can work against you too. we just encourage people to take care of themselves stay hydrated, wear sunscreen and seek shelter whenever possible,” Spivey said.

While officials want everyone to have fun outside and at the beach, they care more about everyone staying safe in the sun.