The National Weather Service has announced an excessive heat watch for this Thursday and Friday, with temperatures that will rise into the low to mid 90s. When outside temperatures are very high, the danger for heat related illnesses such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke rises. Older adults, young children, and people with mental illness and chronic diseases are at particularly high risk. Here are some tips from the Seattle/King County Public Health Department:
Stay cool:
Spend more time in air conditioned places. If you don't have air conditioning, consider visiting a mall, movie theater or other cool public places.
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Cover windows that receive morning or afternoon sun.
Dress in lightweight clothing.
Check up on your elderly neighbors and relatives and encourage them to take these precautions, too.
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Drink liquids:
Drink plenty of water. Try to drink one quart an hour if you are doing strenuous
activity. Avoid drinks with caffeine, alcohol and large amounts of sugar because they can actually cause dehydration.
Have a beverage with you as much as possible, and sip or drink frequently. Don't
wait until you're thirsty to drink, since that means you are already dehydrated!
If you go outside:
Limit the time you're in direct sunlight.
Do not leave infants, children, people with mobility challenges and pets in a parked car during a heat event, even in the shade for a few minutes with the window rolled down. Temperatures in parked vehicles can quickly rise to unbearable levels.
Avoid or minimize activities that are tiring, or take a lot of energy.
Do outdoor activities in the cooler morning and evening hours.
Avoid sunburn. Use a sunscreen lotion with a high SPF (sun protection factor) rating.
More tips in English, Spanish, Chinese Vietnamese, Russian and Korean are available on our Beat the Heat webpage at www.kingcounty.gov/health/beattheheat.aspx
Water safety
Some people turn to local lakes and rivers to cool off, but drowning is a real concern. Please use caution and wear a personal flotation device (PFD) on the water. Find deals on affordable lifejackets at http://www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/injury/water/pfd.aspx. If
you want to swim, choose a safer location, such as visiting a local pool or
lifeguarded beach instead.