Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Hotter Than Hell All Over...!


We all know it's getting hot, perhaps a lot hotter than we can remember.

Just in case you want to know how hot it is, let me tell you. This story points out just how dangerous the hot weather can be, even in ways you may have not have thought of before!

Phoenix man suffers 2nd degree burns after walking on hot street

By Corey Rangel ABC15.com

PHOENIX - A 78-year-old man suffered second degree burns to his feet on Saturday after walking outside without any shoes on.

James Wankel said he went outside his home, near 30th Street and Campbell, to try and catch the mailman. After making it halfway across the street, the pain from the hot street brought him to his knees.

“I couldn't stand up. The pain was so bad in my feet,” said Wankel.

His neighbor, Terri Cryan, saw Wankel fall down in the street. She and her sister ran over to help him.

“By the time he turned around he couldn't run back to the grass. So he fell down and then he's burning his knees and his hands so we had to, both of us, had to pick him up by his arms and then run him to the grass,” said Cryan.

But the cooler grass did not ease the pain.

“Even when we got in the grass he just kept collapsing because his feet burned so bad,” recalled Cryan.

Wankel was taken to the Arizona Burn Center at Maricopa Medical Center.

“Both the right and the left feet had blistered all the way across the balls of my feet,” said Wankel.

But he knows it could have been worse if his neighbor had not helped him.

“I would have had a hell of a time getting off that asphalt,” said Wankel. “I feel pretty lucky to say the least.”

Folks, please don't take this heat lightly! Regardless of your age or location...the heat and weather conditions can kill you! I don't want to lose any of my friends for any reason, but especially because of the hot weather! Ya hear me? OK!

Now, let's get some coffee or iced tea and sit outside for a while. Just stay in the shade for me, alright?

16 comments:

Phelan said...

There are times that I regret not putting my shoes on. Luckily have never burned my feet that badly.

The cottage by the Cranelake said...

That poor man!
I read about it yesterday and almost couldn´t believe it. But black asphalt on a hot sunny day is dangerous. He was lucky in that way that his neighbours saw him!

I have no asphalt roads close to my home thankfully, only grawel.

Take care in the heat now!
Christer.

HermitJim said...

Hey Phelan...
Sometimes going barefoot just doesn't seem to be a good idea, does it?

Poor old guy was lucky that his neighbors were there!

Hey, thanks for coming by!


Hey Christer...
There are a lot of asphalt roads in the country here in the states, but gravel also!

I feel sorry for the old guy and wish him a quick recovery, but maybe he will wear shoes from now on!

Thanks for coming by today!

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Good warnings HJ and one that I will pass along to Grenville who often goes barefoot on the back porch and patio and that wood and pavers are sure hot in this continuing heat wave. We also got some rain late yesterday, which was helpful. Temps continue to be in the 90s+ all week with heat indices over 100 here.

Ben in Texas said...

I knew there was a reason I stayed inside so much. AND lived in the country with more grass than payment. Poor ole guy .

Anonymous said...

Gets like that here in Rio every summer, you can't run across the sand at Copacabana without your flipflops on. Tourists have problems with burnt feet. The locals know better. The threat is very real.

AV

Catman said...

Please don't give the climate change people any more ammo. We'll have to sit through commercials where Al Gore shows off scorched feet....lol

Thanks for the laugh. :-)

HermitJim said...

Hey Beatrice...
Please take care in this heat, cause you and Grenville are too important to us to have you down and out due to a heat caused injury!

Lots of people getting injured or hurt in heat caused situations as of late!

Like I said, stay in the shade when possible...and be careful!

thanks for coming by today!


Hey Ben...
Luckily you have enough grass around you to ward off this kind of burn! But still, be careful when you are out on the mower, buddy! Keep that ol' head covered with a hat or cap and drink a LOT of water!

Heck, as long as you lived here on the coast, you already know all the correct ways to deal with the heat and sun...so I don't need to tell you how to deal with it!

I just worry about all my friends when I see something like this!

Thanks, buddy, for the visit today!


Hey AV...
Guess it's a problem we all need to be aware of. A little common sense would go a long way during times like this!

I appreciate you coming by today, my friend!


Hey Catman...
Now that is a scary thought! Somehow the picture in my mind of seeing Gore and his bare feet really, really turns me off!

He has been keeping a very low profile as of late, due to the divorce, I guess!

Whatever the reason, I'm certainly glad!

Hey, buddy, I appreciate you dropping by today!

Mechanic in Illinois said...

At least we know why America is still together, good neighbors. This will hold us together until we can rid ourselves of this treasoness administration. Thanks for another great lesson.

HermitJim said...

Hey Mechanic...
Good neighbors are very important, especially when living in the city! If you don't know them and have a great relationship with them, then it could mean trouble!

Think of good neighbors as another survival tool!

Thanks for coming by today!

Ken said...

...hehehe,i won't tease him of being a tenderfoot due to his senior status,just another reason i don't wear shoes unless i have to...conditioning...drives the Mrs nuts that i can walk on dern near anything...

JoJo said...

Good Morning My Special One
I know how bad the heat is in Phx. This man must be new to the area. It isn't the global warming crap its the desert and it has always been hot, hot,hot. I am also grateful to his neighbors for helping him it could have gotten much worse.

HermitJim said...

Hey Ken...
Good idea to toughen up the feet, but gotta be careful until the soles are strong enough.

Wife might be jealous, but it could come in handy to have someone with this talent around in the long run!

Thanks, buddy, for coming by today!


Hey JoJo...
Guess he just wasn't thinking or, like you said, he may have been a stranger! Most of us would instinctively know better!

Hey, sweetie, I appreciate you coming by this morning!

Anonymous said...

Hi HJ
Like Beatrice said, sometimes i forget and walk out without something on my feet. Lately i have been turning around FAST!!!!!
Even the grass is too hot in the afternoon. AND we are going to have this till next week. A friend told me it snowed/hailed yesterday in the Pocconos. Go figure.

HermitJim said...

Hey Grenville...
You're braver than I am! Too many years of wearing shoes have made me soft, I'm afraid.

Actually, I used to wear socks, even outside...forgoing the shoes!

As long as it's comfortable for you, I say do it!

Thanks for the visit today!

Noki said...

Ouch! I've burned my feet, even on the grass some days, but not like that! That's some serious heat. I would say that I'm glad I live here and not there, but... ummm... Ok, we have trees. Other than that, there's not much difference. But I haven't much burned my feet lately.

Hugs,
Ashley