08/18/2020
Heatwave safety tips!
Stay safe and take care of high-risk people!
Those who are at the highest risk include people 65 and older, children younger than two, and people with chronic diseases or mental illness.
Closely monitor people who depend on you for their care and ask these questions:
Are they drinking enough water?
Do they have access to air conditioning?
Do they need help keeping cool?
People at greatest risk for heat-related illness can take the following protective actions to prevent illness or death:
Stay in air-conditioned buildings as much as you can. Air-conditioning is the number one way to protect yourself against heat-related illness and death. If your home is not air-conditioned, reduce your risk for heat-related illness by spending time in public facilities that are air-conditioned and using air conditioning in vehicles.
Do not rely on a fan as your main cooling device during an extreme heat event.
Drink more water than usual and don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink.
Check on a friend or neighbor and have someone do the same for you.
Don’t use the stove or oven to cook—it will make you and your house hotter.
Even young and healthy people can get sick from the heat if they participate in strenuous physical activities during hot weather:
Limit your outdoor activity, especially midday when the sun is hottest.
Wear and reapply sunscreen as indicated on the package.
Pace your activity. Start activities slow and pick up the pace gradually.
Drink more water than usual and don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink more. Muscle cramping may be an early sign of heat-related illness.
Wear loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing.
If you play a sport that practices during hot weather, protect yourself and look out for your teammates:
Schedule workouts and practices earlier or later in the day when the temperature is cooler.
Monitor a teammate’s condition, and have someone do the same for you.
Seek medical care right away if you or a teammate has symptoms of heat-related illness.
Everyone should take these steps to prevent heat-related illnesses, injuries, and death during hot weather:
Take cool showers or baths to cool down.
Check on a friend or neighbor and have someone do the same for you.
Never leave children or pets in cars.
Check the local news for health and safety updates.
Morgan Hill has three City facilities that serve as Cooling Centers for the community during their regular business hours:
Centennial Recreation Center, 171 West Edmundson Avenue, adjacent to Community Park.
Community and Cultural Center, 17000 Monterey Road, corner of Dunne.
Morgan Hill Library, 660 West Main Avenue.
https://www.morgan-hill.ca.gov/1539/Cooling-Centers
https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/heattips.html
