With the heat of summerjust around the corner, Multnomah County officials are warning the public about the threats hot weather can pose.
Driving the news: Four people died of heat-related illness last summer, according to a new county report.
It was the fourth year in a row county residents died from heat.
What they're saying: "Before the heat dome, it was very rare to see heat-associated deaths," Abe Moland, a public health researcher with the county, said at a press conference last week. "Now some happen every year."
Threat level: Officials said the threat from heat can build over multiple days of hot weather.
In those instances, it's important to look for signs of illness in yourself and those most at risk.
Roughly 85% of the people who have died from heat-related illness over the last four years in Multnomah County have been single, divorced or widowed men over the age of 60.
The bottom line: "It's not projected to get any cooler so we expect this to be an ongoing health concern," Moland said.
