When the Morning News surveyed a sampling of hospitals statewide it found nearly all have treated some people for symptoms that range from muscle cramps, headaches and nausea to severe dehydration and life-threatening heat stroke.

If temperatures stay high enough long enough — usually 10 degrees above normal for several days — the number of people who need medical attention tends to rise.

One problem, says Cheryl Gren of the Greater Salt Lake area American Red Cross, is "people don't always recognize what's happening as heat-related illness. They're not paying attention to that."

She also notes that people who are playing around water often forget to drink fluids and that leads to heat exhaustion.

She says people with heat issues need to be out of the heat and into a cooler place, or at least in the shade. Tight clothing should be removed, as should perspiration-soaked clothing. The individual also needs small amounts of water — the worse the heat illness, the less water you give, she says. "If someone is refusing water, vomiting or if consciousness is an issue, call 911."

Christiansen says recently during a football practice five or six players were throwing up. They'd worked too hard in the heat. "You need to use good common sense. Don't stay out for prolonged periods of time and if you're nauseous or dizzy, get out of the heat and rehydrate yourself."

Water, by the way, won't do it alone at that point. You need something that helps balance electrolytes, like a sports drink or Gatorade. Every year, ER physicians see people who've been sweating a lot and replacing fluid with water, but whose sodium level has fallen. "The body likes to be at a certain level of sodium," Christiansen says. Symptoms are similar to heat exhaustion, with weakness, nausea and light-headedness.

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E-mail: lois@desnews.com