“At the peak of the summer season, it is particularly advisable for everyone to remember to take precautions to avoid heat-related health problems during this oppressive heat,” said Easley. “Those who are elderly, or have physical or medical conditions that are sensitive to high temperatures, need to take special care to keep safe.”
Those most at risk in this extremely hot weather include infants and children up to four years of age, people 65 or older, people who are excessively overweight or physically ill with conditions such as heart disease or high blood pressure, and those who are working outdoors and might overexert during work or exercise.
The N.C. Departments of Health & Human Services and Crime Control & Public Safety offer these tips during the high temperatures to help avoid heat-related health problems:
· Do not leave infants, children, or pets in a parked car, even for just a few minutes. Car interiors can quickly heat up and cause serious injury or death.
· Drink plenty of fluids, preferably water but avoid alcohol and large amounts of sugar. Do not wait until you are thirsty to drink.
· Heavy sweating removes salt and minerals from the body. If you exercise or work outside, drink two to four glasses of cool, non-alcoholic fluids each hour. A sports beverage may replace the salt and minerals you lose in sweat. However, if you are on a low-salt diet, talk with your doctor before drinking a sports beverage.
· Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing. Protect yourself from the sun and keep cool by wearing a wide-brimmed hat along with sunglasses and by putting on sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher 30 minutes prior to going outside.
· Stay indoors and if at all possible, in an air-conditioned place. If your home does not have air conditioning, try to find a neighbor, relative or public place that does. Just a few hours spent in air conditioning can help your body stay cooler when you go back into the heat.
· Take a cool shower or bath.
· Avoid, as much as possible, using your stove and oven. This will help keep cooler temperatures in your home.
· If you are 65 years of age or older, have a friend or relative call to check on you twice a day during a heat wave. If you know someone in this age group, check on them at least twice a day.
· If you must be outdoors, try to limit your outdoor activity to morning and evening hours. When working in the heat, have plenty of water available and monitor the condition of your co-workers and have someone do the same for you. Heat-induced illness can cause a person to become confused or lose consciousness.
Heat cramps are the first sign of heat injury. Sweating depletes the body's salt and moisture and results in cramps in the abdomen, arms, or legs.
Heat exhaustion is a milder form of heat-related illness that can develop after several days of exposure to high temperatures and inadequate or unbalanced replacement of fluids. Warning signs include heavy sweating, muscle cramps, dizziness and headache. The skin may be cool and moist, the victim's pulse rate will be fast and weak, and breathing will be fast and shallow.
Heat stroke is the most serious heat related illness and can cause injury or death if not treated. Heat stroke occurs when the body's temperature rises rapidly, sweating mechanisms fail, and the body is unable to cool down. Body temperature may rise to 106 degrees or higher rapidly, within 10 to 15 minutes. Warning signs include red, hot, dry skin with no sweating; rapid, strong pulse; throbbing headache; dizziness; nausea; confusion; or unconsciousness.
More specific tips for avoiding heat injuries are located on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's web site at:
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/heat_guide.asp.