A photographer from the Associated Press (AP) had a scary incident during extreme heat in Phoenix, Arizona. Matt York, who has covered the area for over 20 years, experienced a health scare when his blood pressure spiked, leading nurses to worry about a potential heart attack.
In an article on the AP website, York describes this summer as record-breaking and unlike anything he has experienced before.
He mentions spending three hours photographing outdoor life on July 10, despite the challenging conditions. Heat-related assignments can be difficult because people tend to avoid being outside in such high temperatures.
York returned home that day feeling completely exhausted. Despite this, he went out again the following day to cover consecutive days of temperatures exceeding 110 Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius). The extreme heat began to take a toll on his equipment, causing his cameras and phone to overheat.
Not only did the intense heat affect his equipment, but it also started affecting York’s body. He began sweating excessively, but on July 12, he realized that he had completely stopped sweating. This realization, coupled with a chilling sensation and leg cramps, prompted him to realize he needed to get out of the heat.
However, York didn’t initially think too much of his symptoms. That night, he had trouble sleeping due to the persistently high temperatures, and he woke up with a headache the next morning.
By Friday, July 14, he felt extremely lethargic and was simply counting down the hours until the workweek ended. He had reached his limit when it came to covering the extreme heat.
During a routine check-up at the doctors on Tuesday – a day when Phoenix broke its record for the longest streak of temperatures above 110 Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) – York’s doctors noticed that he wasn’t in good health.
They measured his blood pressure at 200/120 and even wanted to call an ambulance, suspecting a potential heart attack.
Reflecting on the situation, York finds it surprising and even somewhat amusing that he initially thought he was just tired from work. He chose to see his doctor the following day and learned that he was actually suffering from heat exhaustion.
The situation was so severe that the doctor couldn’t draw blood from either of York’s arms due to severe dehydration. After two days of rest and staying indoors, he has fortunately recovered, with his blood pressure down to 128/72. However, he vows to be more cautious in the future.
To prevent similar incidents, York and his team have implemented several precautions while working in extreme heat. They limit themselves to 30- to 40-minute shooting sessions before taking a break to cool down.
They also keep chilled, damp towels in a cooler in their cars and carry two to three times more water and Gatorade than usual. To protect their cameras, they use a separate cooler with plastic ice packs.
Additionally, carrying dry towels for sweat and sending all their images from inside cooled buildings instead of their cars are part of their new practices.
York’s story serves as a warning for press photographers and any photographer working in areas of the United States experiencing extreme heat. Previously, York would push through assignments even when feeling unwell.
However, when it comes to high temperatures, the risks become too significant to ignore.