Welcome to summer. . . and a heat wave. Temperatures are expected to range into the 90s today and tomorrow so exercise common sense and care.
Drink fluids. Carry a water bottle at sports and sip regularly.
Keep a fan moving air through the house. Remember, wind sucks; it doesn’t blow. A fan by a window that pulls warm air from inside the house out is sensible.
Close the curtains or blinds on south-facing windows to reduce solar heat radiation inside.
Work in the garden or do household chores in the morning or the evening. Water your plants in the morning or evening when evaporation will be slower. Keep hanging plants moist, adding extra water if the leaves droop.
Cook early in the morning and later in the evening. Instead of the oven, use a microwave which uses less energy and produces less heat.
Be aware of your body. Heat stroke is a medical emergency. Call 9-1-1 for symptoms such as headache, lack of sweat, rapid heart beat, fainting, cramps, nausea, confusion, and high temperature. While waiting for first reponders, move the patient to the shade or a cooler area. Apply ice packs where blood is near the surface, such as in the arm pits, and apply cool water to the skin with a wash cloth.
