Thursday, June 25, 2015


Press Release

 

Date: June 24, 2015

Media Contact: James Carey and Ramona Quinn                                                              Phone:  541-883-1122

 

According to the National Weather Service Klamath County will experience an unusually long period of hot weather, reaching into July. Our expected high temperatures Friday and Saturday may reach 92 TO 102.

                                                                                

High temperatures can affect your health

Residents are advised to stay cool, stay hydrated, and stay informed.

 

Klamath County Public Health officials urge people across the county to take precautions as temperatures soar. Extremely high or unusually hot temperatures can affect your health. On average, 675 deaths from extreme heat events occur each year in the United States.

“High temperatures can seriously impact the health of the elderly, those who work or exercise outdoors, infants and children, the homeless or poor, and people with a chronic medical condition,” said [Ramona Quinn, Klamath County Public Health Emergency Preparedness Manager]. “Drinking plenty of fluids, limiting outdoor activity and staying cool can reduce a person’s risk for heat exhaustion and heat stroke.”

Take the necessary precautions to prevent serious health effects such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke:

       Stay in air-conditioned buildings.

       Do not rely on a fan as your primary cooling device.

       Limit outdoor activity, especially midday when it is the hottest part of the day, and avoid direct sunlight.

       Wear loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing.

       Take cool showers or baths to lower your body temperature.

       Drink more than usual and don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink.

       Drink from two to four cups of water every hour while working or exercising outside.

       Avoid alcohol or liquids containing high amounts of sugar.

       Make sure your family, friends and neighbors are drinking enough water.

       Check on at-risk friends, family and neighbors at least twice a day.

 

If you must be out in the heat:

  • Limit your outdoor activity to morning and evening hours.
  • Cut down on exercise. If you must exercise, drink two to four glasses of cool, nonalcoholic fluids each hour.
  •  A sports beverage can replace the salt and minerals you lose in sweat. Warning: If you are on a low-salt diet, talk with your doctor before drinking a sports beverage. Remember the warning in the first “tip” (above), too.
  • Try to rest often in shady areas.
  • Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat (also keeps you cooler) and sunglasses and by putting on sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher (the most effective products say “broad spectrum” or “UVA/UVB protection” on their labels).

JUST A REMINDER: Don’t leave your pet alone in the car on a warm day

  • Despite the warnings, every year, pets die after their owners leave them in a parked car that overheats. Within just a few minutes, a car can get extremely shot, stifling, and deadly. Dr. Ernie Ward did an experiment on a warm summer’s day in which he sat in a parked car with the windows cracked. He wanted to see just how hot it would get. Within 30 minutes it was 117 degrees inside the car. “Never, ever leave your dog in a parked car on a warm day,” he pleads at the end of the video he made to document his experience. That goes for any pet, by the way!

This information provided by the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

For more information on heat exhaustion and heat stroke, visit Oregon Health Authority, Public Health Division’s extreme heat website:


For more information on hot weather and your pets go to the Petfinder’s website:
https://www.petfinder.com/dogs/dog-care/hot-weather-tips/