Lehigh County Coroner Dan Buglio reported that as of Wednesday, there had been no heat-related deaths in the county despite the extreme heat and humidity that have blanketed the region over the past few weeks.
“When my investigators respond to a house call for an unattended death, the investigators are trained to be vigilant on the housing conditions, including the operation and location of fans, air conditioning or any type of cooling device,” Buglio said in a news release. “Ambient air temperatures are documented. An external examination of the decedent is documented and when warranted, a temperature probe of the decedent is recorded.”
Buglio said the extra steps his office is taking along with the thorough and complete death investigations they conduct mean he can say “with certainty that no heat related deaths have been recorded at this time.”
So far this summer the Lehigh Valley has experienced at least two heat waves lasting nearly a week each. A heat wave is usually defined as three or more consecutive days of 90 degree or higher temperatures. The most recent heat wave began Thursday, July 5 and continued through Wednesday, when highs were in the low 90s and heat indexes topped 100 degrees. Following a slight cooldown to temperatures in the 80s Thursday through Saturday, another heat wave is forecast to begin Sunday.
This local news story was reported with generative AI assistance.
