The dog days arrive

Ways to stay cool, healthy when summer hits hardest

By: Cara Latham
   The summer made its presence known this week as area temperatures hit close to 100 degrees.
   As the hot weather can take its toll on many people, especially younger children and senior citizens, local officials urged residents to take preventative steps to keeping themselves cool and healthy.
   A heat advisory was posted on Hightstown’s Web site this week and included information from the borough’s Health Department warning residents that the high temperatures could be dangerous.
   The advisory also stated that during periods of extreme heat and humidity, the borough could provide accommodations for residents who don’t have access to air conditioning at the borough’s "cooling shelters" located upstairs at Borough Hall or the fire house.
   The site also posted a link to health tips residents can follow.
   Those tips include:
   • drinking eight to 10 eight-ounce cups of water a day;
   • avoiding caffeine and alcohol;
   • keeping young children and the elderly in the shade and making sure not to overdress them;
   • taking advantage of air-conditioned facilities, such as indoor shopping malls, public libraries, move theaters, municipal buildings or senior centers;
   • limiting time outdoors to the early morning or later in the evening; and
   • in the absences of air conditioning, cross-ventilating homes by opening windows on two sides of the buildings, keeping curtain, shades or blinds drawn during the hottest part of the day, and opening windows at night.
   Residents should also be aware of warning signs for heat-related problems. Very hot and dry skin, dizziness, nausea, confusion and unconsciousness could be sings of heat stroke, and remedies includes moving the person to a cool area and immersing them or pouring cold water over them. Pale, clammy skin with profuse sweating, headache, dizziness and fatigue, and sometimes abdominal cramping can mean heat exhaustion.
   More advice can be found at the borough’s Web site — www.hightstownborough.com.
   In East Windsor, Health Officer Jeff Plunkett provided similar tips and said it’s a good thing that most people are "very much aware of the dangers of excessive heat" and of health problems that can arise as a result.
   He urged residents not to hesitate to call 911 if they suspect they are victims of any heat-related problems.
   Meanwhile, the Mid-Atlantic branch of AAA issued precautions for motorists who want to beat the summer heat and prepare their vehicles for extended, super hot and humid days.
   Batteries more than two years old should be tested by a technician to ensure they have the starting power to handle hot temperatures.
   Also crucial is checking oil levels and conditions; air conditioning performance; antifreeze and coolant levels and conditions; and under-the-hood components such as belts and hoses, which are stressed by extreme heat.
   Residents also should keep emergency kits containing drinking water, a flashlight with extra batteries, warning devices — flares or reflective triangles — jumper cables and a first aid kit just in case of a breakdown, AAA stated.