It’s going to get hot out there on Tuesday, and that means taking extra precautions to protect yourself from the heat.
Peninsula Health District officials are warning residents to prepare for “extreme heat,” as Tuesday’s daytime heat index may reach or exceed 100 degrees, according to a Peninsula Health District news release.
Precautions include drinking plenty of cool fluids, avoiding sunburns, wearing light-colored clothing, limiting physical activity and stay in air-conditioned places as much as possible.
Residents should also reschedule outside activities to a time outside of peak sun hours, which are between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., the release said.
“During times of excessive heat, people need to pay attention and take additional precautions,” said S. William Berg, interim director of the Peninsula Health District. “According to our statistics, almost 31 percent of the hyperthermia cases, which were related to extreme heat, involved individuals who were engaging in outside activity such as gardening. Twenty-six percent of the hyperthermia cases were individuals who were inside without air conditioning.”
Here’s a full list of the Peninsula Health District’s recommendations:
- Keep cool in an air-conditioned area. Take a cool shower or a bath. Consider a trip to the mall or a local library or visit a friend with air conditioning. Spending at least two hours per day in air conditioning significantly reduces the number of heat-related illnesses. When temperatures reach the upper 90s or above, a fan may not prevent heat-related illness.
- Drink plenty of fluids (2-4 glasses of cool fluids each hour.) To replace salt and minerals lost from sweating, drink fruit juice or a sports beverage during exercise or when you have to work outside. However, talk to your doctor first if you’re on a fluid-restricted diet or medications, or on a low-salt diet.
- Avoid sunburn and wear light clothing. Sunburn limits your body’s ability to keep itself cool and causes loss of body fluids. Use sunscreen with a higher SPF. Lighter-weight clothing that is loose fitting and light colored is more comfortable during extreme temperatures. Use a hat to keep the head cool.
- Give your body a break as the heat wave can be stressful on your body. Limit physical activity until your body adjusts to the heat.
- Never leave children or pets in cars. Temperatures inside a car can reach more than 150 degrees quickly, resulting in heat stroke and death.
- Use the “buddy system” if you’re working outside. If you’re working outside and suffer a heat-related illness, you could become confused or could lose consciousness. Therefore, Make sure someone else knows of your plans.
