HEAT: Play It Safe

Picture: inhabitat.com

It’s that time of the year again when we roll out the grills, sit by the pool, take extra long vacations, and stand outside in the heat for extended periods of time. Sounds fun, right? Yes, it does, but if you don’t play by the rules and keep heat safety a top priority, you could fall victim to one of the most underrated weather elements that can cause severe bodily injury.

In fact, heat is the top weather related killer in the United States. Taking the averages of weather related deaths between 2003-2013 across the county, heat is at the top of the list. On average, there have been 117 heat related deaths on a yearly basis. Second on the list is a tie with tornadoes and hurricanes at 107, and floods comes in third with 76 deaths per year. The reason why heat is primary killer is because it affects more Americans than any other weather phenomenon.

Hot air can do a number on your body and it does not take much time to be out in the heat to feel its effects. If you are suffering from heat related illnesses, you will likely experience dizziness, muscle cramps, weak pulse, overall weakness, nausea, and even fainting. If you, or someone you know illustrates these symptoms, make sure to move to a cool place, apply a wet cloth to cool down, sit in front of a fan, and sip on cool water.

Not only can the actual heat cause problems, but the sun angle is at its peak during this time of the year. Not only are the daylight hours extended, but the sun’s intensity is another reason to keep it safe this summer season. This time of the year, it takes less than 10 minutes of unprotected exposure to cause sunburn. Sunburns are not fun at all, and if you are severely affected, you might feel a flu-like fever, nausea, headaches, chills, weakness, and even blisters. Apply SPF 30+ sunscreen all over your body as often as you can, at least every 60 minutes, wear a hat, lose light colored clothing, and slap on a pair of sun glasses to prevent as much as the sun’s harmful rays.

Overall, just have fun out there this summer, but make sure safety is always on your mind. If you take care of these simple things, and stay hydrated too, you will have an amazing summer season.

“Take a look up once in a while; you never know what you’ll miss.”

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