By Somerset County Board of Freeholders
With temperatures climbing as summer begins, Somerset County residents without home air conditioning are invited and encouraged to enjoy the coolness of their local library.
“All libraries in Somerset County have air-conditioned buildings, whether they are part of the county library system or operated by an individual town,” said Freeholder Patrick Scaglione, county Library Commission liaison. “Even a few hours spent in air conditioning can help your body stay cooler when you go back into the heat. And your library is a great place to relax, read a book or magazine, or surf the Internet.”
For a list of county and municipal library locations and their hours of operation, visit http://www.beachcomber.com/Somerset/Public/library.html
The summer months are a wonderful time for friends and family to get together for family events, vacations and outdoor events for kids. However, extreme heat and humidity can be especially dangerous to the elderly, young children and persons taking certain medications.
Each year more than 1,200 people are treated in New Jersey emergency departments for heat-related illness or sunburn. Overexposure to heat causes between 45 and 170 hospitalizations in New Jersey annually depending on the average outdoor temperature.
To safeguard against health complications from excessive heat, the Somerset County Health Department suggests:
Drinking plenty of water or other non-alcoholic beverages.
Wearing sunscreen, a hat and loose and light-colored clothing when outdoors
Avoiding outdoor activity during the hottest hours of the day and reducing physical activity or reschedule it for cooler times of the day.
Never leaving children, a frail elderly or disabled person, or pets in an enclosed car, not even for a minute — as temperatures can quickly climb to dangerous levels.
Talking to your health care provider about any medicine or drugs you are taking as certain medications, such as tranquilizers and drugs used to treat Parkinson’s disease can increase the risk of heat-related illness.
Checking on elderly family members and neighbors to make sure they are safe.
For those without air conditioning in their homes, spending time in air-conditioned places such as libraries, movies, malls or other public buildings during the hottest hours of the day can reduce your risk for heat-related illness.
Summertime activities, whether on the playing field or the construction site, must be balanced with measures that aid the body’s cooling mechanisms and prevent heat-related illness. For information, visit the Somerset County Department of Health website at www.co.somerset.nj.us/health
