Dear COM Community:
The National Weather Service has issued excessive heat warnings and heat advisories and throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and Marin County through late Monday. Please see the information below and take extra precautions to keep yourselves, your family, and your friends safe when temperatures are high.
Each year, people suffer or succumb to heat-related problems when their bodies are unable to properly cool during a period of exposure to excessively hot weather. These very high temperatures can be a problem for young children and, in particular, those who may be medically fragile. To protect health when temperatures are extremely high, medical professionals recommend balancing physical activity with measures that aid the body’s natural cooling mechanisms and using common sense.
Here are some tips to prevent heat-related illness:
- Drink Plenty of Fluids—Increase intake of cool drinks. Don't wait until you are thirsty to drink. Avoid drinks with alcohol, caffeine, or large amounts of sugar.
- Wear Appropriate Clothing and Sunscreen—Choose lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing. Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher.
- Replace Salt and Minerals—A sports beverage can replace the salt and minerals lost during heavy sweating.
- Stay Cool Indoors—Seek an air-conditioned environment. Air-conditioning is the top protective factor against heat-related illness and death.
- Schedule Physical and Outdoor Activities Carefully—Limit outdoor activity to morning and evening hours. Conduct heavy work, routine maintenance, and repair work during the coolest parts of the day.
- Use the Buddy System—When working in the heat, monitor your physical condition and that of your co-workers. Signs of heat exhaustion include heavy sweating, paleness, dizziness, muscle cramps, nausea, fatigue, headache, shallow breathing. Untreated heat exhaustion may lead to a heat stroke.
- Do Not Leave Children or Pets in Cars—Cars can heat up to dangerous temperatures very quickly, even if windows are cracked open.
- Use Common Sense—Avoid hot foods and heavy meals, limit exposure to the sun in midday hours; provide shade and lots of fresh water for pets.
Extreme Heat Tips from the CDC—Additional information on extreme heat from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/extremeheat/
Be Careful at the Beach!—Ocean water is cold, and the currents are strong! Read more about rip currents: http://www.ripcurrents.noaa.gov/
Social Media Resources:
@NWSBayArea
#CAHeat
#HeatWave