Extreme heat impacts Southwest Florida's Gulf Coast

Residents across the Gulf Coast are beating the heat as an advisory went out this week with heat index temperatures climbing above 100 degrees."Definitely feeling it. We went to the beach; in just a couple of hours we were all toasted," said Mackenzie Rodriguez, who is visiting Cape Coral.Paul Gallagher of Cape Coral described the intensity of the heat."Oh, you can definitely feel it. As soon as you walk outside, it hits you right in the face. There's no question about it," he said. The extreme heat has led to a surge in air conditioning repair calls for AC specialist Gordon Durant, owner of Freedom Residential."As of the last few weeks, we've been seeing a major influx of 'no cool' calls, and they've been varying from water to electronic to refrigerant-related issues based on how much heat and humidity we have currently in our climate," Durant said.Healthcare professionals are urging residents to take precautions before heading outdoors.Nurse Sydni Bultman from Gulf Coast Medical Center advised, "Drink a large amount of liquids, at least 8 ounces to 12 ounces, before you even go out. Then, you're going to make sure you drink every 20 minutes. Stay away from the alcohol and the really sugary or caffeinated beverages, because that just dehydrates you quicker." Bultman also explained how to recognize and prevent heat exhaustion before it escalates to heat stroke."When they're getting heat exhaustion, (people) start feeling dizzy and lightheaded. They're sweating very heavily. They might look pale. They feel faint. Their stomach is getting upset. Maybe they'll pass out when we start standing in the heat longer," she said. "In heat stroke, our body temp is now up to 103 degrees, and we are red hot and completely dry. We're not sweating anymore, and they might pass out, come unconscious. They can vomit, get sick to their stomach, have the same, you know, throbbing headache." Next week, Lee County will provide air-conditioned buses at three locations to help residents without other options beat the heat. Libraries in Fort Myers and North Fort Myers will also welcome people seeking relief from the high temperatures.DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.