Staying Safe in the Heat
Posted on July 31, 2006
The CDC has some good advice here for dealing with extreme heat. It includes tips for staying cool, recognizing heat stroke, recognizing heat exhaustion and monitoring people at high risk. The CDC also says to never leave children or pets in hot cars. Even with the window cracked this can be a deadly mistake to make.
Even in cool temperatures, cars can heat up to dangerous temperatures very quickly. Even with the windows cracked open, interior temperatures can rise almost 20 degrees Fahrenheit within the first 10 minutes. Anyone left inside is at risk for serious heat-related illnesses or even death. Children who are left unattended in parked cars are at greatest risk for heat stroke, and possibly death.Warnings for heat advisories this week have noted that temperatures in cars can climb to 130 degree very quickly in this kind of heat and humidity.
NEVER LEAVE PETS OR CHILDREN IN PARKED CARS - EVEN WITH THE WINDOWS OPEN. TEMPERATURES INSIDE PARKED CARS CAN REACH 130 DEGREES IN ONLY A FEW MINUTESThe recent heat wave in California is responsible for over 160 deaths as well as the deaths of 25,000 cows and hundreds of thousands of poultry. This same heat wave is moving east so people in the Midwest and the East Coast need to be alert for some dangerously hot and humid weather. Excessive heat warnings have already been posted in many states.
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