HOUSTON – Our dangerous heat cranks up this weekend and beyond, definitely the hottest days of summer so far. In fact, we could be breaking records within days. That's why we conducted our own "heat experiment" Thursday.
[WATCH THE FULL RAW VIDEO HERE]
KPRC 2 meteorologist Justin Stapleton wanted to show the danger of being locked in a hot car. He was in the car for our entire 4 p.m. newscast live on KPRC 2 News and Click2Houston.com with the supervision of experienced medical personnel.
Warning: This is not something anyone should try at home.
The numbers are staggering -- children dying after being left unattended in hot cars. This year alone, there have been at least 11 deaths nationwide. What affect would the heat have on a healthy adult?
At the beginning of the experiment, Justin's temperature was 98 degrees and his blood pressure was 128/84, while his pulse rate was 65.
"I can tell you, I'm like sweating from top to bottom at this point. It does, it feels like a sauna is probably the best way to describe it," Stapleton said as he got out of the car.
With doctors carefully monitoring his vital signs, Justin was taken out of the car once his body temperature reached 102.8 degrees. His blood pressure was 147/110 and his pulse rate was 99.
While sweating inside the car, Justin felt a chill. Dr. Wil Jeudy, of Next Level Urgent Care, said it was a sign that his body was entering dangerous territory and told him to get out of the car at the 30-minute mark.
"A chill is one of the signs of heat exhaustion. You get kind of goose bumps. It seems weird, but at this stage, obviously you wouldn't expect it," Jeudy said.
"I was starting to definitely get a little dizzy and I've run enough years to know, that's the start," Stapleton said. "I can breathe a little better out here."
Doctors cooled him down with ice packs and cold water to help reduce his body temp. The temperature inside the truck was 105 degrees.
Jeudy suggested Stapleton keep ice packs on his neck, under his arms and drink a minimum of four bottles of water.
Keep in mind, children and pets are even more vulnerable.
With no sign of the scorching summer heat letting up, "Justin's Heat Experiment" could be the wake up call that prevents someone in the area from leaving a child, senior citizen, or pet alone in a car for any amount of time.