MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's office is investigating two recent deaths as heat-related, as southeast Wisconsin sees its warmest temperatures in a decade.
According to an email from the agency, a 39-year-old woman was found dead in her Milwaukee home Tuesday night. The temperature in her home was 88.2 degrees, and her body temperature was 101 degrees.
The woman had complained of being too hot shortly before she was found, the Medical Examiner's Office says.
The second heat-related death was reported Wednesday morning, when a 89-year-old man was found collapsed in his backyard in Greenfield. His body temperature was reported at 94 degrees.
High temperatures topped out at 99 degrees in Milwaukee on Tuesday, the hottest day recorded in the city since July of 2012. Wednesday's forecasted high temperature was expected to be only a couple of degrees cooler, with heat indices once again reaching above 100 degrees.
Autopsies for both deaths will be performed on Thursday.
Natalie Strede works at Clement Manor, a senior living community about 3 miles away from where the 89-year-old man lived. She believes checking on elderly population is crucial.
"People should not be alone during this time, especially if they're elderly," she said.
Due to the heat, 250 resident at Clement Manor are staying inside and with AC running. Staff have also been told to do wellness checks.
"The nurses are going door to door and checking on all residents during this time," Strede said. "We just want to make sure that no one is over heated and well-hydrated."
The Milwaukee Health Department urges people to know the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke symptoms such as, dizziness, nausea, extremely high body temps and a rapid pulse.
