With no immediate end in sight to the intense summer heat, local organizations are banding together to help keep residents hydrated, a critical effort in Arizona’s scorching climate.
What they’re saying:
“We know it’s a serious issue here in Arizona. It’s not only a health issue, you know, there are deaths that result when people are dehydrated,” said Shayna Beasley, chief philanthropy officer at United Food Bank.
Prime IV in Mesa is an organization providing hydration, offering intravenous (IV) drips that include fluids, electrolytes, vitamins, and amino acids.
“We do IV vitamin hydration. The importance of hydration is everything because our bodies are 80 percent water, and all of our systems are going to depend on the amount of water and connectivity we have in the body,” said Prime IV nurse, Tiffany Kuehn.
By the numbers:
Kuehn noted that last year over 4,000 people were hospitalized and over 400 died due to dehydration, emphasizing that these cases are very preventable. She added that “people oftentimes don’t realize they’re starting to show the signs of dehydration.”
Signs of dehydration can include feeling lightheaded, dizzy, cognitive dysfunction, disorientation, increased anxiety, pain, inflammation, constipation, and fluctuations in blood pressure, Kuehn said.
What you can do:
Prime IV is collaborating with United Food Bank and the Mesa Chamber of Commerce for a hydration drive, which runs through Sept. 30.
“It’s a partnership that we do with the city of Mesa and the Mesa Chamber of Commerce. People can go online and donate, which will help us purchase water and distribute that water, or they can drop off water at various locations across Mesa,” Beasley said.
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