During a heat wave, residents, visitors, and workers should take extra precautions to protect themselves.
Heat can have a significant impact on human health, ranging from dehydration, heat cramps and exhaustion through to life-threatening heat stroke. Mental, behavioral, and cognitive difficulties can also arise. For people living with underlying conditions who have increased heat sensitivity, a heat wave can exacerbate their symptoms.
Here are some tips (some from the City, some from the Interior Health Authority) to help you through a heat wave:
- Plan to engage in outdoor activity before 11 a.m. or after 4 p.m. to avoid intense sun
- Drink plenty of non-alcoholic fluids; water is best
- Avoid physical work or exercise outside
- If you must work or exercise outdoors, drink two to four cups of water hourly, even if you don’t feel thirsty
- Take rest breaks
- Apply sunscreen to prevent sunburn
- Stay in the shade or use an umbrella or a wide-brimmed hat
- Move indoors to stay cool; take a cool bath or shower
- Never leave children or pets alone in a parked car
- Regularly check on older adults, infants, children, those outdoors or people with chronic disease for signs of heat-related illness
- Visit the spray park or pool
- Visit the local library or go shopping at a place with air conditioning
Some heat-related illness symptoms to look out for include pale, cool moist skin, heavy sweating, muscle cramps, swelling in hands and feet, fatigue and weakness, lightheadedness or fainting, headache, nausea or vomiting.
More severe symptoms can include a high fever, hallucinations, seizures and unconsciousness. When these occur, call 911 immediately and try to cool the person down.
Last Updated on July 22, 2021.