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<p>In the United States (US), the&nbsp;Southwest region has been hit with the season's first heatwave. Firefighters in Phoenix- which is among the hottest cities in the country- are immersing&nbsp;heatstroke victims in ice on the way to hospitals. In 2023, there were&nbsp;645 heat-related deaths in Arizona's Maricopa County which also includes Phoenix.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Speaking to the news agency Associated Press on Wednesday (June 5), Fire Captain John Prato from the Phoenix Fire Department said that the medical technique,&nbsp;known as cold water immersion, is familiar to marathon runners and military service members and has also recently been adopted by Phoenix hospitals as a go-to protocol.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>A dramatic fall in body temperature in minutes</strong></h2>

<p>Earlier this week, Fire Captain Prato demonstrated the method outside the emergency department of Valleywise Health Medical Center, packing ice cubes inside an impermeable blue bag around a medical dummy representing a patient.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/deaths-due-to-heat-at-all-time-high-heatwaves-in-europe-linked-to-30-increase-in-fatalities-713795">Deaths due to heat at all-time high; heatwaves in Europe linked to 30% increase in fatalities</a></strong></p>

<p>Prato said that this technique could dramatically lower body temperature in minutes.</p>

<p>"Just last week we had a critical patient that we were able to bring back before we walked through the emergency room doors.&nbsp;That’s our goal — to improve patient survivability," he added.</p>

<p>The Associated Press reported that the&nbsp;heatstroke treatment has made ice and human-sized immersion bags standard equipment on all fire department emergency vehicles in the city.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also watch | WION Climate Tracker:&nbsp;Heatwave warnings hit Western US</strong></p>

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<p>For the first time, Phoenix is also keeping two cooling stations open overnight this summer.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Excessive heat warnings issued</strong></h2>

<p>Authorities issued excessive heat warnings&nbsp;for Wednesday morning through Friday evening for parts of southern Nevada and Arizona, with temperatures expected to top&nbsp;43.3 Celsius in Las Vegas and Phoenix.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The unseasonably hot weather was expected to spread northward and make its way into parts of the Pacific Northwest by the weekend.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


In the United States (US), the Southwest region has been hit with the season's first heatwave. Firefighters in Phoenix- which is among the hottest cities in the country- are immersing heatstroke victims in ice on the way to hospitals.

In the United States (US), the Southwest region has been hit with the season's first heatwave. Firefighters in Phoenix- which is among the hottest cities in the country- are immersing heatstroke victims in ice on the way to hospitals. In 2023, there were 645 heat-related deaths in Arizona's Maricopa County which also includes Phoenix. Speaking to the news agency Associated Press on Wednesday (June 5), Fire Captain John Prato from the Phoenix Fire Department said that the medical technique, known as cold water immersion, is familiar to marathon runners and military service members and has also recently been adopted by Phoenix hospitals as a go-to protocol. A dramatic fall in body temperature in minutes Earlier this week, Fire Captain Prato demonstrated the method outside the emergency department of Valleywise Health Medical Center, packing ice cubes inside an impermeable blue bag around a medical dummy representing a patient. Also read | Deaths due to heat at all-time high; heatwaves in Europe linked to 30% increase in fatalities Prato said that this technique could dramatically lower body temperature in minutes. "Just last week we had a critical patient that we were able to bring back before we walked through the emergency room doors. That’s our goal — to improve patient survivability," he added. The Associated Press reported that the heatstroke treatment has made ice and human-sized immersion bags standard equipment on all fire department emergency vehicles in the city. Also watch | WION Climate Tracker: Heatwave warnings hit Western US × For the first time, Phoenix is also keeping two cooling stations open overnight this summer. Excessive heat warnings issued Authorities issued excessive heat warnings for Wednesday morning through Friday evening for parts of southern Nevada and Arizona, with temperatures expected to top 43.3 Celsius in Las Vegas and Phoenix. The unseasonably hot weather was expected to spread northward and make its way into parts of the Pacific Northwest by the weekend. (With inputs from agencies)

This American city is using ice immersion to treat heat stroke victims

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This American city is using ice immersion to treat heat stroke victims