Mainland heats up this week

Published 07/14/04
Texas City Sun
by: Rachel Hunter

If you thought it was hot Tuesday, you haven't felt anything yet. Today and Thursday are expected to be the hottest days of the week, with heat indexes reaching as high as 102 degrees.

Summer is perhaps the most popular time of the year for outdoor activities, but also the most dangerous.

"The elderly and the young, and people that are sick are effected the most by heat," said Kurt Koopmann, public information officer for the Galveston County Health District. "Those that may be more susceptible to the high temperatures should try and stay indoors during the middle of the day when it's the hottest."

Prevention is the best defense against heat-related illness and death, according to the Galveston County Health District. Wearing light-colored, loose-fitting clothes, sunblock and hats and drinking plenty of fluids is recommended whenever going outside.

Heat illness can occur anytime the body is unable to regulate its temperature. It can happen after as little as 10 or 15 minutes in the sun, and can result in death or permanent disability if emergency treatment is not provided. Symptoms of heat illness include heavy sweating, muscle cramps, dizziness, nausea, weakness and headaches.

Children can become dehydrated quickly and should be monitored whenever they are in high temperatures, whether participating in sports or just playing outside, Koopmann said, and adults should never leave children in closed vehicles, even for very short periods of time.

One of the best defenses against the sun drinking plenty of fluids, and the right kinds of fluids.

"Staying hydrated is key," said Koopmann. "Drinks with lots of sugar or caffeine should be avoided. Alcohol should also be avoided. When going into the sun, water is always the best thing to drink."

Remaining in an air-conditioned area can safeguard against heat illness, but that is not always possible for people whose jobs require them to be outdoors. In general, heat illness is more likely to occur among workers who have not had time to adjust to working in the heat. People working outside should expose themselves to high temperatures gradually whenever possible and take frequent breaks to cool down.

Many of the health risks associated with high temperatures can be avoided if people use a little common sense and think ahead when planning their summer activities. So anyone leaving the house today might want to grab a bottle of sunscreen, a jug of water and the largest hat available, because it's going to be a scorcher.

For more information about preventing heat illness, call the Galveston County Health District at (409) 938-2211.

Read the press release