Tips for surviving extreme heat

https://www.thermapparel.com/blog/tips-for-surviving-extreme-heat

June 30, 2021

We have all heard the old joke .....It's so hot my thermometer goes up to "Are you kidding me?"

But the heat we are seeing is no joke. It. Is. Dangerous!  People in Arizona are receiving third-degree burns from falling on a hot parking lot. That's how hot it is. Please, please stay safe out there.

According to NOAA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) June 2020 is the hottest June EVER recorded worldwide, and it's looking like we may see another heat setting record hot month this year. 

If you live in an area with high humidity, keep an eye on the heat index. The heat index, also known as the apparent temperature, is what the temperature feels like to your body when relative humidity is combined with the air temperature. This has important considerations for your body's comfort.  When your body gets too hot, it begins to perspire or sweat to cool itself off. If the perspiration is not able to evaporate, your body cannot regulate its temperature and you will overheat, even possibly experience heat stress or heat stroke symptoms.

image from www.weather.gov

In order to determine the heat index using the chart above, you need to know the air temperature and the relative humidity. For example, if the air temperature is 100°F and the relative humidity is 55%, the heat index will be 124°F.

You can check your local area through the national weather service website

Did you know these Heat Facts?

• Over 86˚F / 30˚C, your body can not cool itself enough to keep your core temperature stable.
• If the temperature indoors reaches over 90, fans are not helping
• If a person reaches a temperature of 104 or more, death is likely.
• Prolonged exposure to heat can cause long term kidney problems.
• Heat kills more people worldwide than any other weather phenomenon.
• Men sweat more than women.
• Some medications can make you more susceptible to heat and heat stroke

Here are a few tips

 

• Wear a cooling vest, and it doesn't have to be ThermApparel if you have one WEAR IT. Dave Bexfield of ActiveMSers does an amazing job explaining the different kinds of cooling vests on the market, their advantages and disadvantages. Even if you don't have MS or a neurological disorder a cooling vest can help you from overheating and experiencing heat stress and heat stroke. 
• Drink water, lots of water, nothing fancy just plain old H2O
• It's not just the heat to pay attention to it's also how long you are in the heat.
• Use your local cooling shelters.
• Make a cooling plan (what if the power went out for a day or two). Would you be able to stay cool?
• The most effective strategy uses multiple options: cooling vests, cooling towel, fan, and keeping ice water available every wear.
• Know when enough is enough and to seek shelter.
• Don't go outside in the hottest parts of the day, typically between 10 am to 6 pm.

Be safe, be smart, be cool