In the 2022 Renton River Days parade, I was marching with my trombone for Hazen High School, and despite best teachings from my parents and director, I had not taken care of myself that day.
What I remember is lying on my back, opening my eyes and seeing Renton Mayor Armondo Pavone extending a hand to help me up. I had fainted in front of a whole crowd of people just ten minutes after finishing the parade.
With Renton River Days just around the corner and with warm weather of full sunshine in the forecast, some safety warnings may be helpful before you hit the town for all of the weekend’s events.
I spoke with JJ Edge, emergency preparedness planner for Public Health – Seattle & King County, who provided several ways to avoid overheating during daytime events.
Overall, stay cool.
“One [tip] is just don’t go out in the hottest part of the day,” Edge said. “That’s really hard when a parade is scheduled, but if you’re going to an event, maybe go in the morning hours.”
Other ways to stay cool, Edge notes, are to wear loose-fitting clothing, and wear your hats, even if they don’t look as stylish as you’d like. It’s also helpful to bring umbrellas or any other resource to help reduce your exposure to direct sunlight and heat.
Take breaks.
“Any place that has air conditioning, go inside and give your body that reprieve from the heat,” Edge said. Much like the advice I ignored before fainting last July, Edge says, “Don’t try to tough it. The heat is actually much more [intense] than we might necessarily think at the beginning.”
Drink water regularly, and not just when you’re thirsty.
“And I do mean water,” Edge said. “Alcohol and caffeine or caffeinated drinks — those are dehydrating, so that’s actually just going to make your body more vulnerable to the heat.”
Notice symptoms (and don’t write them off).
Edge said it is important for people to simply notice when you’re not feeling well and not downplay what you’re feeling.
Symptoms of overheating, oncoming heatstroke, and fainting include sweating profusely, dizziness, nausea, and cramping. Before I fainted, I felt nauseous and my muscles started giving out, as if they were made of jello. Not fun — especially carrying a trombone.
If you do have these symptoms or someone else around you does, the first step is to get the person to a cool place out of the sunlight. “Then start drinking that cool water, use cool towels, bring that body temperature down into that more moderate, healthy range,” Edge said. “I’ve been to River Days many times, and I know how hot it can get and how the more engaged you are, the more you forget that it is hot.”
A few things I will add, as someone who has hit the ground:
• Reiterating to listen to your body. Don’t push it, whether you’re diving for candy from the sidewalk, sending your ducky down the derby, or marching in the parade itself.
• Eat well. This means a full breakfast and meals throughout the day that consist of more than slushies and parade candy.
• If you do faint, something that helped me was to get some natural sugar in my body. Every person and their reason for fainting is different, but for me, an apple was ideal, and just as important as cool water.
Fainting was a horrible experience. I wouldn’t wish it on any Renton resident and preventative actions can help you enjoy this weekend to the fullest. Have fun this weekend, Renton, and stay cool, hydrated, and well-fed!
