Rock Hill Man Dies From Heat Exposure

WCCB Charlotte,

ROCK HILL, SC–The Simpson family braved temperatures in the 90’s.

“Oh my gosh, it’s like a waive on top of us haa,” says Kimberly Simpson.

To play Pokemon Go at Manchester park in Rock Hill.

“This is our first day walking and we probably chose the wrong day to do it, it is too hot!” says Simpson.

One of many enduring the heat, EMS crews on standby after one man died from accidental heat exposure.

The York County coroners office says that 55 year-old Ronnie Moore was at River Park working on his RV that had broken down, when a passerby saw his body and contacted EMS.

He was taken to the hospital but did not make it. Officials say elderly and children are most vulnerable.

Latoya Frazier is not taking any chances with her little ones.

“I know when my kids are hot, you see there faces, they turn red that’s how I know they hot, we going to be leaving in a little bit,” says Frazier.

But for those who work in the heat,

“We have a cooler back there with ice in it.  Like to fill a water bottle up every once in a while,” says Ryan Osborne.

It’s all about staying safe.

The manager at Express Wash says employees are allowed to take breaks inside, given plenty of water and if temperatures reach 119 degrees they close their doors.

See below tips from York County Emergency Management on how to stay protected during hot temperatures.

  • Drink plenty of water; even if you do not feel thirsty.
  • Avoid drinks with caffeine.
  • Never leave children or pets alone in closed vehicles.
  • Check on family, friends, and neighbors who do not have air conditioning and who spend much of their time alone.
  • Avoid strenuous work during the warmest part of the day.
  • Use a buddy system when working in extreme heat, and take frequent breaks.
  • Dress in loose-fitting, lightweight, and light-colored clothes that cover as much skin as possible.
  • Stay indoors as much as possible and limit exposure to the sun.
  • Limit intake of alcoholic beverages.
  • Avoid extreme temperature changes.
  • Consider spending the warmest part of the day in public buildings such as libraries, schools, movie theaters, shopping malls, and other community facilities.
  • Circulating air can cool the body by increasing the perspiration rate of evaporation.