Posts filed under ‘Heat Illnesses’
Excessive Heat Warnings – What to do?
|
Sustained high temperatures can be harmful to your health. Emergency management officials and health experts recommend the following steps to avoid heat-related medical emergencies. Tips to Staying CoolSlow down. When possible, avoid strenuous activities. If strenuous activity is unavoidable, try to do it during the coolest part of the day, usually between 4 a.m. and 7 a.m. Outdoor businesses could consider changing business hours during the summer. Work smarter. Take frequent breaks when working outdoors. When working in extreme heat, use the buddy system – partners can keep an eye on each other and assist one another when needed. Remain hydrated. Drink plenty of water regularly and often, even if you are not thirsty. Avoid drinks with alcohol or caffeine in them. Eat small meals and eat more often. Avoid foods that are high in protein, which increases metabolic heat. Dress for the weather. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing. Use sunscreen and wear a wide-brimmed hat if you must be out in the sun. Stay indoors as much as possible. If air conditioning is not available, stay on the lowest floor out of the sunshine. Also, during periods of excessive heat, the public is reminded that air-conditioned facilities operated by Loudoun County, such as community centers and libraries, are available during normal business hours as places where people can seek refuge from the excessive heat. Electric fans might not cool the air, but they can help sweat evaporate, which cools your body. Heat-Related Medical ConditionsSummer temperatures in Virginia normally climb into the upper 90s and even reach over 100 degrees at times. People can suffer ill health effects when their body temperature control system is on overload. A person’s body temperature can shoot up when normal sweating cannot cool it quickly enough in extreme heat. Damage to the brain or other vital organs can result from very high body temperatures. Summer sun can also present a health challenge. To protect yourself from skin cancer, remember to use sunscreen, seek shade, and wear sunglasses, a hat, and sun-protective clothing. Use a sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor, or SPF, of 15 or higher. As sunscreen wears off, reapply if you stay out in the sun for more than two hours and after you swim or do things that make you sweat. Failure to protect yourself from the sun can result in sunburn with symptoms of redness and pain, and in severe cases, swelling. Information courtesy of the Virginia Department of Emergency Management and the Virginia Department of Health. Online Resources
|
