Heat-related illnesses: Data tool monitors Manatee County 911 calls to see when most are at risk

BRADENTON, Fla - First responders in Manatee County are utilizing an advanced platform to predict and prepare for a surge in heat-related emergency calls during peak summer hours.

Tracking Manatee County heat illnesses

What we know:

A heat advisory was issued for the Tampa Bay area Friday morning. Manatee County Public Safety officials are using a data integration program named Peregrine to track heat-related emergencies in real time.

The software uses real-time data and historical records to find correlations and map spikes in emergency medical calls. According to county data, heat-related medical calls hit their peak during July and August between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., with Saturdays bringing in the highest overall volume.

"As the data comes in it automatically refreshes. It’s not static," Business Services Manager Tony Incarnato said.

Incarnato added that the technology allows crews to find critical similarities between different data points. 

"We are able to use AI and other tools to take different types of data and find correlations or similarities between them," said Incarnato.

Why you should care:

Officials emphasize that having concrete numbers ensures emergency resources are stationed exactly where they are needed most.

"You’re probably going ‘well, it’s hotter and more humid,’ so you will have more calls, but it’s utilizing the data to prove that, so our decisions are data driven based on local conditions," Incarnato said.

EMS Chief Sean Dwyer noted that the trends help paramedics and EMTs understand exactly when the community faces the highest risks.

"Anything we can do to push out to the public to say, ‘hey these are the warning signs, these are the things you should be looking for. This is the peak time that we see these types of illnesses and these emergencies for our paramedics and EMTs.’"

What you can do:

Dwyer says people should stay hydrated and try to limit outdoor activities to early in the morning or later in the evening. 

"If you’re outside, try to do it early in the morning or late evening," he said. "If you are out enjoying the weather, stay ahead of the heat. Drink water, stay hydrated, and find somewhere to cool down."

History of Peregrine platform

The backstory:

The county originally implemented the Peregrine platform during the 2024 hurricane season to manage emergency responses. During major storms, the system in part pulls live information directly from emergency dispatch lines to map exactly where flooding occurs and direct recovery efforts.