Protect Yourself in Severe Heat!

July 18, 2011
J. McLellan, 608/267-2542, mclellan@countyofdane.com
Emergency Management

With an Excessive Heat Warning in effect until 9:00pm Thursday, July 21, people need to take heat-specific precautions to protect themselves and their neighbors.  These precautions include:

• Paying more attention to your physical condition and actions.
• Monitoring food and water intake.  Avoid heavy, fatty meals and snacks.
• Being aware of the amount and intensity of your physical activity, both indoors and out.  Monitoring work / rest cycles can greatly reduce the potential heat related illness. 
• Hydrating with water!  Drinks with caffeine, sugar and alcohol take longer for your body to absorb and don’t hydrate as well as drinks without these substances.
• Wearing light colored, breathable clothing, hats and sunscreen.
• Remembering that if you are thirsty, your pet is thirsty.
• Checking on their loved ones and neighbors, especially those in fragile health, either face-to-face or via telephone. 

 

If you need to a cool place to stay, public places such as local senior centers, malls and libraries are not only convenient but also provide entertainment as well.  Some local facilities have extended their hours through the week to help citizens cope with the heat.  Check with your local government or local agency web sites to identify places you can go to cool down.

 

For those who cannot access public transportation and need help getting to a cool, public place, call United Way 2-1-1 by dialing 2-1-1 or 246-4357 to get connected with local transportation options.

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