The summer season can bring days of extreme heat.
Clatsop County Departments of Public Health and Emergency Management encourage individuals to use the new heat index tool created by the National Weather Service.
This tool helps you understand how you could be impacted by heat. It measures how hot it really feels when the effects of humidity are added to high temperature.
The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention also recommends taking the following steps to keep you, your family, your neighbors and your pets cool:
STAY COOL
- Find an air-conditioned shelter
- Avoid direct sunlight
- Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing
- Take cool showers or baths
- Do not rely on a fan as your primary cooling device
STAY HYDRATED
- Drink more water than usual
- Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink more fluids
- Avoid alcohol or liquids containing high amounts of sugar
- Remind others to drink enough water
STAY INFORMED
- Check local news for extreme heat alerts and safety tips
- Learn the symptoms of a heat-related illness and what to do if you or your loved one shows signs of having a heat-related illness
STAYING COOL WHEN THERE IS NO AIR CONDITIONING:
- Stay out of the sun
- Close window curtains/shades
- Put aluminum foil covered cardboard in windows and skylights to reflect heat back outside
- Spend some time at a shopping mall or public library- even a few hours spent in air conditioning can help
- Take cool showers or baths
- Keep the stove off or cook in the morning
- Turn off lights
- Sleep in the basement, if you have one
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The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health provides resources for working outdoors in hot weather.