Page A12 September 2024 are heart conditions, respiratory ailments, substance abuse, obesity and other conditions without ascribing heat as a cause of death. This makes heat-related deaths difficult to count accurately. Thirty-five-year-old Justin Cory Foster came from his job with Appalachian Power West Virginia to help those who had lost power in Harrison County in east Texas. He worked out in the excessive Texas sun and felt ill. He was provided with medical treatment, given water, took a shower and lay down. Those staying with him tried to wake him without success. Emergency first responders pronounced him dead where he lay. The Texas State Penitentiary at Huntsville did not escape the sweltering heat. Inmate John Castillo suddenly passed out. His cellmate yelled for the guards. CPR was attempted and epinephrine was given. Noting worked and 32-year old Castillo was dead of a seizure disorder aggravated by the stifling heat of the cell. Car deaths are tragic and preventable. Within several weeks in July, four deaths made the news. A 4 year-old died after being left in a car in Fitzgerald, GA. A 2-month-old died in Lakewood, NJ in a hot car. An infant died in Cordes Lake, AZ in an unattended vehicle in the heat, a 1-year-old in Fairfield, IL and a 5-year-old in Omaha, NE. “The compelling reason that we should put the information out is because people can do something about it.” —Christine Hahn, Iowa State Epidemiologist Observations “It’s all a balancing act of trying to respond to what is essentially a mass fatality event. It’s really hard. The last two summers have been really hard.” —Jeff Johnston, Maricopa, AZ Chief Medical Examiner It is reported that heat is responsible for more deaths than from both earthquakes and tornadoes collectively. Wilmer Vasquez worked with his brother Yonatan in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Every workday, they climbed the ladders to be on a roof in the jobs as roofers. Their father was a roofer. The summer heat makes the roofs, tiles or shingles very hot. On August 23, 2023, both brothers were working on separate jobs when Yonatan started to get phone calls asking whether Wilmer was alright. A co-worker of Wilmer’s gave him a ride home. His condition deteriorated during the night. He was taken to the hospital where here he died of heat stress. In the Badwater Basin of Death Valley, a motorcyclist died of heat exposure in July. The temperature was 128 degrees. Six other motorcyclists became ill from the heat. The heat makes the body divert the blood to cool down the body. Blood pressure may drop and cause the person to pass out. The heart works harder to pump the blood. Cardiac issues may occur. There may be organ failure, which can lead to death. Related dehydration may lead to kidney failure. As we can imagine, high temperatures have been shattered on both coasts and in between. Portland, OR hit 104 degrees more than once, Las Vegas had seven days of 115 degrees. Boston and Hartford, CT hitting the high 90s. Manchester, NH and Scranton, PA have broken records. Chicago, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Syracuse, Louisville, and Fort Lauderdale, all tied or broke records. Temperatures in the East have sent residents to the emerBy Steven Palmer gency room with life threatening conditions and takes the lives of an increasing number in the West. Eastern state residents do not understand the physical problems heat may cause. Less air conditioning or effective cooling systems cause people to slip into heat related serious conditions. Raleigh, NC hit 106 degrees. In early June, Maryland had two deaths related to the heat. The West is more familiar with high heat but are unprepared for this level of temperatures. In July, the Oregon Medical Examiner’s Office released information on ten victims that most likely perished from the heat. Out of the ten, six were in the Portland area and four were from the Jackson, Washington and Coos Counties. The victims were a combination of young and old. In Lake Havasu, AZ, one of the hottest points in the state, a 4-month-old infant died while on a boat due to the high heat. Pima County, Arizona Medical Examiner Gregory Hess sees 3,000 deaths that pass through the office per year. The coolers are always full from April to October, many related to the heat. Pima County abuts the Mexican border, so he sees the effect of heat on those crossing the border. The heat was always overbearing on those crossing the border, but this year became brutal and very deadly. Kelly Keyes, president-elect of the International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners, was quoted as saying, “There is no central repository of death information than death certificates.” The problem is the high temperature is not the only cause of death. Other health issues are exacerbated by the heat that cause the victim’s death. Hyperthermia is not commonly placed as a cause as it hard to prove that it caused the other conditions to lead to the person’s demise. Some forensic pathologists report that it takes months to prove the death was due to the heat. The more obvious causes THE HEAT IS ON Steven Palmer entered funeral service in 1971. He is an honors graduate of the New England Institute of Applied Arts & Sciences. He has been licensed on both coasts, he owned the Westcott Funeral Homes of Cottonwood and Camp Verde, AZ, where he remains active in operations. Steve offers his observations on current funeral service issues. He may be reached by mail at PO Box 352, Cottonwood, AZ 86326, by phone at (928)634-9566, by fax at (928)634-5156, by e-mail at steve@westcottfuneralhome.com or through his website at www.westcottfuneralhome.com or on Facebook. FUNERAL HOME & CEMETERY NEWS www.NomisPublications.com Monthly Columnsonline at Cromo Prayer Cards: A Source of Comfort Trusted by Funeral Professionals for Years Our Lady of Guadalupe White Dove Requiem Madonna Velasquez Ascending Angel Divine Mercy Praying Hands www.reliablefuneralsupply.com 877-331-3367 Credo Saint Jude Byzantine Simeone Funeral and Burial Traditions of Iceland and the Faroe Islands total population of the islands approximates 55,000. Founded by Norse settlers and later Christianized, the Faroe Islands embody a blend of Viking traditions and Christian faith. This cultural fusion is evident in their funeral customs, which emphasize communal support and spiritual solace. Funerals in the Faroe Islands are typically conducted in small, historic churches that dot the archipelago. These churches, reminiscent of medieval times, provide intimate settings for mourners to gather and pay their respects. Like Iceland, embalming is uncommon in the Faroe Islands. Bodies are laid to rest in churchyard cemeteries or ancestral plots, fostering a connection to both land and heritage. rituals, connecting the present with a storied past. Faroe Islands: Seafaring Legacy Reflected in Burial Traditions The Faroe Islands, situated between Iceland and Norway, bear witness to a history shaped by seafaring Vikings and enduring Christian influences. There are eighteen Faroe Islands, sixteen of which are inhabited. The The Faroese tradition of burying the deceased within a short timeframe echoes Viking beliefs in honoring the departed promptly and with reverence. In contemporary Faroese society, funeral customs continue to evolve while retaining their foundational values. The Faroe Islands’ population, known for its liberal outlook akin to other Scandinavian countries, maintains a deep respect for cultural traditions while embracing modernity. Sverrir Sigurdsson, was born 1149 in the Faroe Islands. He reigned as king of Norway from 1177 till 1202 and remains one of the best-known figures in medieval Norwegian history. He is notable for creating one of the earliest obituaries as he Continued from Page A11 Continued on page A14 Like @Nomis.Publications Like us on
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