Extreme Heat
Extreme heat is defined as a period of high heat and humidity with temperatures above 90 degrees for multiple days. In extreme heat your body works extra hard to maintain a normal temperature, which can lead to death. If your body is overheating, and you have a high temperature, bumps on your skin, muscle spasms, headache, dizziness, nausea, ext., you may have a heat related illness. Older adults, the very young, and people with illnesses are at highest risk. Heat related illness are preventable. Learn the symptoms and what to do if you or a loved one show signs of having a heat-related illness.
heat related illness
Heat Cramps- Muscular pains and spasms due to heavy exertion. Although heat exhaustion is the least severe, it is often the first sign of your body is having problems with the heat.
Signs and Symptoms:
- Muscle pains or spasms
- Heavy sweating during intense exercise
Treatment:
- Top physical activity and move to a cool place.
- Drink fluids.
- Wait for cramps to go away before doing any more physical activity.
- Get medical help right away if cramps do not subside in an hour, the victim has heart problems, or is on a low sodium diet.
Heat Exhaustion is the body's response to an excessive loss of water and salt, usually through heavy sweating. Heat Exhaustion typically occurs when people exercise heavily or work in a hot, humid place where body fluids are lost.
Signs and Symptoms:
- Heavy sweating
- cold, pale, clammy skin
- muscle cramps
- tiredness or weakness
- fainting
- nausea
- vomiting
- cramps
Treatment:
- Move to a cool place
- Loosen clothing
- Sip water
- Put a cool, wet cloth on body or take a bath.
- Get medical help right away if you are throwing up, your symptoms get worse, or last longer than an hour.
Heat Stroke is the most serious heat-related illness. The body becomes unable to control its temperature the body's temperature rises rapidly, the sweating mechanism fails, and the body is unable to cool down.
Signs and Symptoms:
- Very high body temperature
- Hot, red, dry, or damp skin
- Slurred speech
- Loss of consciousness
- confusion, altered mental status
- Seizures
- Heat stroke can cause death or permanent disability if emergency treatment is not given.
Treatment:
- Call 911 right away
- move to a cool place
- help lower the person's temperature with cool cloths or a cool bath.
- DO NOT give the person anything to drink.
hot weather tips
- When temperatures rise, get inside.
- Stay Hydrated.
- Never leave people or pets in a closed vehicle.
- Apply sunscreen to protect your skin from sunburn.
- if your outside, find shade.
- Take cool showers or baths.
- Wear loose, lightweight, light colored clothing.
- Check on family and friends.
- Get trained in first aid to learn how to treat heat related emergencies.
- Make sure your home is well insulated and that you have weather stripping around your doors.
- Cover windows with drapes or shades.
- Know the signs of heat illness.
- Identify places in your community where you can go to get cool such as libraries, shopping centers, and cooling centers in your area.
- Stay Informed.
Heat watches and warnings
Heat Wave- Prolonged period of excessive heat, often combined with excessive humidity.
Heat Index- A number in degrees Fahrenheit (F) that tells how hot it feels when relative humidity is added to the air temperature.
Excessive Heat Watch- Conditions are favorable for an excessive heat event to meet or exceed local Excessive Heat Warning criteria in the next 24 to 72 hours.
Excessive Heat Warning- Heat index temperature is expected to be 105-110 Fahrenheit or higher for at least 2 days.
Heat Advisory-Heat Index values are forecast to meet locally defined advisory criteria for 1 to 2 days.