(KRON) – With the Bay Area facing “dangerous inland heat” Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service, heat advisories and warnings are in place for many parts of the region. With Tuesday forecast to be the hottest day of the week, authorities are advising residents to take precautions to avoid heat-related injuries.
Here are 10 tips for keeping yourself, your kids and your pets safe as you manage today’s scorcher.
1. Be aware of how to treat heat stroke
During a heat stroke, the body’s temperature can go up to 106 degrees Fahrenheit or higher in just 15 minutes, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Other symptoms can include confusion, slurred speech, profuse sweating, seizures. A heat stroke can be fatal if not treated.
Heat stroke can be treated by cooling the skin with cold water, circulating the air around the victim to facilitate cooling, and soaking the person’s clothing with cold water.
Heat stroke is similar to heat exhaustion, which is when a person loses too much salt and water due to sweating. Removing a person from the heat and giving them fluids is how to treat heat exhaustion.
2. Never leave your kids or pets in the car
It is dangerous to leave children or pets in a car — even with a window cracked open — because the temperature can rise by as much as 20 degrees within 10 minutes.
California law makes it illegal to leave your child unattended in a car. The law was passed after 6-month-old Kaitlyn Russell died after being left alone in a parked car for two hours in 2000. It is also illegal to leave a pet in a parked car in weather over 100 degrees.
To remember your child in the car, leave your phone or purse in the back seat, experts advise.
3. Don’t walk your dogs on ground that’s too hot
Even 85 degree temperatures can be injurious to dogs’ health, according to the American Kennel Club. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, asphalt can be 135 degrees when the temperature in the air is 86 degrees.
How can you tell if the ground is too hot for your dog?
Put your hand on the pavement for 10 seconds; if its too hot for your hand, it’s too hot for your pooch, experts say.
4. Reapply sunscreen often
The Skin Cancer Foundation states that wearing a sunscreen with an SPF as low as 15 can reduce your chance of developing skin cancer by as much as 40%, and cut your risk of getting melanoma by half. With as many as one in five adults diagnosed with skin cancer by age 70, wearing sunscreen is one of the most important things you can do to reduce your risk.
According to the American Cancer Society, most sunscreens don’t last beyond two hours, so keep reapplying it.
5. Avoid dehydration
The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has found men should drink 15.5 cups of water per day, and women 11.5 cups.
To avoid dehydration, however, you should also eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and avoid alcohol, caffeine and tobacco.
6. Avoid hot playground equipment
Avoid playgrounds with hot, metal equipment in direct sunlight. Some playground equipment can cause second or third-degree burns, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. In general, it’s recommended to avoid strenuous outdoor activities during the hottest time of the day.
7. Wear loose, light clothing
Obviously, wear clothing that doesn’t trap the heat, such as those made with loose fabrics and that are light colors. It might be a balancing act as to how much skin you want to expose, especially if you are going to a playground or spending a lot of time outside.
8. Use the kitchen wisely
Eat foods that are cool. Using the oven can make the temperature inside hotter than it is outside. Try to run the dishwasher at night, when its cooler, to avoid creating more heat than is necessary.
9. Keep an eye on the car
The heat will take its toll on your car. Make sure you have enough coolant so your car doesn’t overheat, and that other fluids and the battery are monitored routinely. Make sure the air conditioning system or the cabin air filter is running optimally (or otherwise, just keep the windows rolled down).
10. Ditch the polyester if masking
If wearing a mask, wear one made from cotton or another breathable fabric, not polyester, and don’t wear a mask at all if you have trouble breathing, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
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