Take Health Precautions During Hot Weather

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 18, 2019

Linn County Public Health                                     Linn County Emergency Management

Contact: Julie Stephens                                         Contact: Tom Ulrich

Phone: 319.892.6000                                              Phone: 319.892.6500

Email: health@linncounty.org                                Email: ema@linncounty-ema.org

LINN COUNTY, IA – With the anticipation of high heat and humidity over the next few days, Linn County Public Health would like to remind our residents to drink plenty of fluids and keep cool to protect their health.  All residents, even the young and healthy, can suffer from heat-related illness if they are active or unable to cool down during hot weather.  Individuals seeking relief from the heat are encouraged to stay indoors or visit air-conditioned public facilities such as libraries, shopping malls, or churches to cool down. 

Heat-related illnesses, like heat exhaustion or heat stroke, happen when the body is not able to properly cool itself.  While the body normally cools itself by sweating, during extreme heat, this might not be enough.  In these cases, a person’s body temperature rises faster than it can cool itself down.  This can cause damage to the brain and other vital organs.  Although anyone can suffer from the effects of extreme heat, people at greatest risk include:

• People age 65 and older
• Young children and infants
• Overweight individuals
• Outdoor workers or people who exercise outside
• People with chronic conditions such as heart disease or high blood pressure
• People who take prescription medications that impair the body’s ability to sweat or regulate temperature

To protect your health during extreme heat, remember to follow these tips:

• Stay indoors, preferably in air-conditioned areas
• Drink plenty of fluids throughout the day. Avoid alcoholic or sugary drinks which can dehydrate the body
• Wear appropriate clothing including hats and apply sunscreen regularly
• Limit outdoor activity and try to avoid midday heat. If you chose to exercise outside, do so earlier or later in the day when the temperature outside is cooler
• Do not leave children or pets in cars
• Seek medical attention if you or someone else appears ill, overheated, dizzy, nauseated, weak, or disoriented

A list of public cooling centers options can be found at http://www.linncounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/2132/Heat-Relief-Locations

For more information about being safe in extreme heat, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/index.html

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About Linn County Public Health: Linn County Public Health, an agency within Linn County government, serves nearly 220,000 residents of Linn County to prevent disease and injury, promote healthy living, protect the environment, and ensure public health preparedness. More information about Linn County Public Health is available online at http://www.linncounty.org/health or by calling 319-892-6000. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LCPublicHealth and follow us on Twitter @LCPublicHealth.