Yun said that the department’s current system is unable to trackwhat medical conditions are complicated by a heat related illness. However,emergency room doctors at hospitals in the greater Boston area told the Globe that the number of patients with heat-related complications rose during the heat waves this summer.
“The difference this year is that the heat wave has been earlier in the season,” said Scott Goldberg, director of EMS at Massachusetts General Brigham. “We’re generally not seeing this type of extreme heat for such a long period of time.”
A Globe analysis of EMS calls during the heat waves this summer shows that there were more calls when it was hotter outside. During the recent heat wave on the week of July 15, EMS calls were 6 percent to 21.6 percent above the daily call volume.
This was a consistent trend over the past four years. During a four-day heatwave that began on June 5, 2021, which EMS said was comparable to the one two weeks ago, calls were about 30 percent to 43 percent above the average daily volume.
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Center for Disease Control data also shows that emergency room admission for heat related illnesses picked up this summer compared to previous months this year.
According to the CDC Heat and Health tracker, a heat wave is defined as temperaturesof 90 degrees and above each day for two days or more.
A threshold for declaring a heat emergency is a consecutive two days or more of 95 degree or higher heat index. The heat index takes into account both the temperature and relative humidity, which is a marker of how hot it feels outside. According to the National Weather Service, the heat index was 94 F at 12:45 p.m. on Thursday, the most current data available.
“When we’re hitting heat indexes above 90-95, it really does become dangerous,” said Yun.
The problem is poised to intensify.
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“Heat waves are unquestionably getting worse and will continue getting worse due to emissions,” said Mathew Barlow, a University of Massachusetts Lowell environmental Earth and atmospheric sciences professor.
Barlow says this heat is not a new normal, because we shouldn’t expect it to stay the same; instead, the next several years will be getting hotter.
Doctors are worried because the rising heat affects some of the region’s most vulnerable people such as the elderly and people with chronic medical conditions. Older people, who may have long term medical problems or take medications, need to be extra cautious with the intense heat, they said.
Some populations are at a higher risk of heat illness than others. There are those who are unable to limit their heat exposure such as outdoor workers, military personnel or unhoused people.
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A worker adjusts his helmet while working in temperatures above 90 degrees at a gas line work site, Thursday, June 20, 2024, on a street in Boston.Steven Senne/Associated Press
The lasting effects of heat are also known to impact those who do not have proper air conditioning, which represents about 5.5 percent of Boston households, according to a Boston Globe analysis of Census data.
Traditionally vulnerable low-income households are more affected by the heat waves because they often live in homes that are not energy-efficient and are expensive to cool. This “energy insecurity” makes it hard to stay comfortable and healthy during extreme heat, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Heat has been rising across the country in the past decades. Major cities have been encountering heat waves more frequently, according to the agency. The average amount of annual heat waves rose from two a year during the 1960s to six a year during the 2010s and 2020s.
As heat waves become more common due to climate change, Massachusetts sits in an uncomfortable position where days will continue to be over 90 F during the summer. The populated urban areas with little tree coverage and open green space makes the region feel hotter.
There are predictions by the Massachusetts Department of Health Bureau of Climate and Environmental Health that by 2050 there will be a 10 to 28 day increase in extreme heat.
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“I’m worried that 10 to 15 years from now, we might be looking back in 2024 and say this was actually one of the coolest summers,” said Yun.
Warmer temperatures lead to more hospitalizations for health issues such as heart disease and heat exhaustion. If heat exhaustion isn’t treated, it can turn into heat stroke, which can cause serious illness, brain damage and death.
In severe cases, the heat waves can cause deaths. Even heat-related deaths have been rising in the U.S., with about 1,602 in 2021, 1,722 in 2022, and 2,302 in 2023.
Dr. Tess Wiskel, an emergency physician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, said the center saw more heat-related illnesses during the July 15 heat wave than in previous ones this summer.
“There’s no question that it’s adding to the burden of care that we need to give in the emergency department,” she said.
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Some doctors say they have experience with burnout and feeling stressed but not more than usual due to the ongoing issue of understaffing at ERs.
When temperatures reach high 80s and 90s, the Boston Public Health Commission recommends people to stay in air-conditioned spaces and limit outdoor activities.
“During heat emergencies, cooling centers are available for vulnerable residents. All Boston residents are encouraged to stay hydrated and check in on their neighbors,” said Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, executive director of the Boston Public Health Commission.
Rachel Umansky-Castro can be reached at rachel.umanskycastro@globe.com.
BOSTON –– Despite a fiery start, the Boston Bruins lost their footing in the third period and ultimately fell 6-2 to the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday at TD Garden.
“Even after the first period, guys came ready to play today. They were very excited, so it was good,” head coach Marco Sturm said. “But the goals we gave up – for me, it’s a lot of individual mistakes, fatigue. Guys were just mentally not sharp.”
Sammy Blais put the Canadiens ahead 1-0 at 11:08 of the first period, but the Bruins soon earned the lead.
Mason Lohrei kept the puck in the zone and carried it down the left side before hitting Marat Khusnutdinov with a cross-crease pass, which he one-timed past Montreal netminder Jacob Fowler at 12:25. Khusnutdinov’s fifth goal of the year made it 1-1 and extended his point streak to three games.
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Alex Steeves potted a last-minute tally for the 2-1 lift while on the power play. David Pastrnak dished the puck over to Steeves in the right circle, where he sniped it home at 19:42. It was Steeves’ eighth goal of the season, and first PPG of his NHL career. The loss overshadowed that for the forward, though.
“It’s terrible, it stinks. Really, this whole homestand, going into break, it’s unfortunate,” Steeves said. “But I think it’s moments like these where you find out how tight the group is. I know we have a tight group, and I know we’ll bounce back from this and we’ll be stronger because of it. Stings for now.”
Viktor Arvidsson – who played in his first game since Dec. 11 after working through a lower-body injury – picked up the secondary assist on the scoring play. The forward was back on the second line with Casey Mittelstadt and Pavel Zacha.
“It was nice to be back and skating again and battling and stuff and be on the bench,” Arvidsson said. “Be with the guys. It felt good.”
The club, in a statement posted on Instagram on Tuesday, said it was “deeply saddened” by Colon’s death and that employees at the nightclub rushed to her aid.
“Our staff responded immediately and called emergency services while an off-duty EMT rendered first aid,” it said. “We are cooperating fully with all inquiries from law enforcement and city officials who are reviewing this medical episode.”
When police arrived at theWarrenton Street venue, they found a personlying on the dance floor, unresponsive and without a pulse, according to an incident report. They began performing chest compressions with the help of a cashier at the club who said she worked as an EMT.
Police said in the report that the large crowd inside the club did not comply with orders to give space to emergency medical personnel. Eventually, officers ordered the club to shut down and told patrons to leave immediately.
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The woman, whose age was not disclosed, was then taken to Tufts Medical Center, police said.
Colon’s sister, Angelica Colon, wrote on social media Sunday that the club failed to immediately call 911 after being told about the medical emergency. She said only a few people at the club showed any “real concern,” while other patrons and staff “acted like nothing was happening.”
“My sister collapsed in the middle of the club,“ she wrote. ”I tried to lift her myself and couldn’t. I was screaming at the top of my lungs and was ignored. The music was only stopped for two minutes, then turned right back on — as if her life didn’t matter.”
Angelica Colon also couldn’t be reached for comment on Tuesday.
Anastaiya Colon, who was at the club to celebrate her sister Angelica’s birthday, had smoked before arriving and had “a few drinks” at the bar, according to the police report. Drug use was not suspected as a factor in the medical episode, according to the report.
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Angelica Colon said that, while her sister had a medical condition, “that does not excuse what happened.” She said in the post that she was considering legal action against the club’s owners.
“A business that refuses to act during a medical emergency does not deserve to operate,” she wrote. “If this could happen to my sister, it could happen to anyone.”
“She was the greatest mother to our son and her daughter,” Stackhouse wrote. “Wherever I fell, she compensated and gave me so much more grace than I deserve.”
Icon is operated by Pasha Entertainment, which also runs the nightclubs Venu and Hava, as well as prominent restaurants such as Ghost Light Tavern and Kava Neo-Taverna, according to the company’s website.
“Our thoughts and condolences are with the individual’s family and loved ones,” the club wrote.
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Last year, the city’ licensing board reviewed a 2023 incident at the club in which a woman was punched and thrown to the ground by another patron. Icon staff did not call police during the altercation, which the club’s director of security admitted was a “lapse in judgment.”
The woman who was punched later sued the club for overserving her attacker; Icon was ordered to pay $30,000 in damages, according to court records.
Camilo Fonseca can be reached at camilo.fonseca@globe.com. Follow him on X @fonseca_esq and on Instagram @camilo_fonseca.reports.
BOSTON (WHDH) – Getting around the city was made easier Tuesday after the Green Line reopened after a two-week shutdown affecting all branches.
The MBTA needed the closure to replace underground beams dating back to the 19th century.
Service returned Tuesday on the B branch between North Station and Babcock, on the C and D lines from North Station to Kenmore, and North Station to Heath Street on the E branch.
(Copyright (c) 2025 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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