The National Weather Service is urging Northeast Nebraska residents to use caution when outdoors today due to the high heat. The heat and humidity will make heat related illnesses more likely if precautions are not taken. Children, the elderly and people with chronic ailments are usually the first to suffer from the heat.
Prolonged exposure to the heat and vigorous activity can increase these risks. Everyone is encouraged to drink plenty of fluids, stay in air-conditioned rooms, stay out of the sun and check up on relatives and neighbors
Category: News
I can’t tell you enough how important this message is for everyone. I work in the Middle East ( Qatar) and every summer we deal with temperatures in excess 50 C ( over 120 F) and we have high humidity. Every year we have unfortunate situations of serious heat related illness and even fatalities with our workers. We may be closer to the equator, but the summer heat in Wausa is very similar to here, just maybe not as hot.. but just as humid.
Heat Stress and related heat syndromes, i.e. heat exhaustion, heat cramps, sunstroke can kill you if you don’t take necessary precautions in hot weather conditions.
The message from the Weather Service encourages you to drink plenty of fluids, which is very good advice.. But I wish to take this a step further and advise that nothing beats good old WATER to replenish lost body fluids(sweating) in hot weather. You can lose as much as a liter of sweat per hour if you are doing intense physical activity.
Not really a good idea to suck down a lot of sodas ( or,if you are old enough.. beer) It may taste good at the time, but it does not replenish your lost body fluids as good as H2o..
Used to be that the recommendation was also to take “salt tablets” during hot weather.. but current medical advice doesn’t necessarily recommend this.. Check with your doctor first before doing this.. You may be causing yourself more problems.
You can check yourself for signs of dehydration very simply..Check the color of your urine.. That’s right.. the color of your “pee pee” is the best indicator to you that you need to drink more water.. The darker yellow the color of your urine, the more dehydrated you are!
Pretty simple.. but effective..
When it’s hot outside, you should be drinking a cup of cool water every 15 minutes.. and taking breaks in the shade. As much as you want that “tan” , wear protective clothing and cover as much skin as possible when the sun is intense.
Remember. it’s not just the heat, but a combination of temperature, humidity and dry wind that will cause Heat Stress related problems quickly..
Enjoy the summer weather, because before you know it, winter will be back again! Just use a little caution and a little common sense when you do.. Of course.. if common sense was “common”.. everyone would have it!!!
Best Regards from the Middle East.
Pete Peterson
(HSE Advisor for QatarGas Construction Projects-Qatar)
That’s why I went to ‘Light Beer’, to lighten the color and stay healthy! Thanks for the tips: you forgot to mention the use of A.C. too, but there you can die in a world of radon gas, unless you have plenty of light beer to go around. How do the Qataran’s fair in the struggle against high temps? Like those in Arizona, come outside only after midnight when the temps are below 100? Thanks for your suggestions.