Well, the summer educational tour has kept us busy this year, and while we have been relatively fortunate with the tornadoes this year, we are starting to see signs that the hottest time of the summer may very well be closing in on us.
Last week, near the New Mexico border, we encountered some 103 degree heat and as we listened to the rattlesnakes rattle in the summer sun, it made me think about perhaps blogging some hot weather tips.
From 1979 to 2003, more people died from heat than from hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes, floods and earthquakes combined! (A total of over 8000 people!)
According to the CDC, people suffer heat-related illness when their bodies are unable to compensate and properly cool themselves. The body normally cools itself by sweating. But under some conditions, sweating just isn't enough. In such cases, a person's body temperature rises rapidly. Very high body temperatures may damage the brain or other vital organs.
Several factors affect the body's ability to cool itself during extremely hot weather. When the humidity is high, sweat will not evaporate as quickly, preventing the body from releasing heat quickly. Other conditions related to risk include age, obesity, fever, dehydration, heart disease, mental illness, poor circulation, sunburn, and prescription drug and alcohol use.
Because heat-related deaths are preventable, people need to be aware of who is at greatest risk and what actions can be taken to prevent a heat-related illness or death. The elderly, the very young, and people with mental illness and chronic diseases are at highest risk. However, even young and healthy individuals can succumb to heat if they participate in strenuous physical activities during hot weather. Air-conditioning is the number one protective factor against heat-related illness and death. If a home is not air-conditioned, people can reduce their risk for heat-related illness by spending time in public facilities that are air-conditioned.
Summertime activity, whether on the playing field or on the farm, must be balanced with measures that aid the body's cooling mechanisms and prevent heat-related illness. This pamphlet tells how you can prevent, recognize, and cope with heat-related health problems.
Wear Appropriate Clothing and Sunscreen
Schedule Outdoor Activities Carefully
Do not leave children in cars
Use Common Sense
- Avoid hot foods and heavy meals—they add heat to your body.
- Drink plenty of fluids and replace salts and minerals in your body. Do not take salt tablets unless under medical supervision.
- Dress infants and children in cool, loose clothing and shade their heads and faces with hats or an umbrella.
- Limit sun exposure during mid-day hours and in places of potential severe exposure such as beaches.
- Do not leave infants, children, or pets in a parked car.
- Provide plenty of fresh water for your pets, and leave the water in a shady area.
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be covering in more detail how to prevent heat exhaustion, heat stroke and heat-related illnesses.
For more information on how to keep yourself safe in the summer heat, stay tuned to this blog or visit www.cdc.gov
