Safety tips for surviving the summer heat

To some, summer is the most enjoyable time of year, marked by shorter hours at the office and family vacations. For kids, summer is a time when homework is set aside in favor of rest and relaxation.

As enjoyable as summer can be, there are many people who, come the end of August, are glad to see summer nearing its end. Such people may enjoy cold weather or may simply find their tolerance for high temperatures and humid afternoons is starting to wear thin.

Regardless of one’s personal opinion about summer, the often unforgiving climate synonymous with this time of year is a considerable safety risk for people of all ages.Temperatures approaching or exceeding the triple digits coupled with intense humidity can be dangerous, and it’s important that men, women and children emphasize safety.

 Check seating before sitting down. You don’t have to spend time outdoors to get burned when summer temperatures soar. Something as simple as sitting down on a surface exposed to the sun can cause burns. Before sitting down in a car, on a bench or other surfaces exposed to the heat, check the seats by touching them with your hand. Brief contact with your hand is not likely to result in a burn, and you should be able to gauge whether a seat is safe to sit on or too hot. Parents should always check their children’s car seats before placing youngsters in the car. If seats are too hot, cover them with a towel before sitting down.

 Lock car doors at all times. Kids might be more amenable to summer heat than their parents are, but that doesn’t meaning playing outside isn’t a potential threat to youngsters’ health. In addition to more standard precautions like applying sunscreen to youngsters before they go outdoors and ensuring they drink enough water, make sure the doors to all vehicles on your property are locked.Whether they’re seeking a respite from the hot summer sun or simply playing with friends, kids might climb into cars when mom and dad aren’t looking, and that can put youngsters in precarious positions, especially if the vehicle’s windows are rolled up. Cars can quickly turn into ovens during the summer swoon, and kids can easily succumb to the heat if they climb into an unattended vehicle on a hot day. Be sure to lock your car doors so kids are not tempted to climb in on hot summer days.

 Limit strenuous activities.Adults may find summer is the ideal time to get outdoors and go for a run or enjoy a little sun-soaked exercise. Some may want to get a little sun or simply enjoy the sensation of sweating off a few pounds as they jog around the neighborhood. But strenuous outdoor activities should be kept to a minimum once the dog days of summer arrive. Heat stroke and dehydration are very real possibilities when adults and kids overextend themselves on hot days, so keep physical activity to a minimum on especially hot days or schedule activities for those times in the day when the temperature is more amenable to activity.

 Stay hydrated. Late-summer heat can take a toll on the body, which needs water to stay cool. On days when the summer heat is especially hot, be sure to drink plenty of water even if you don’t feel thirsty.The body’s cooling system can fail in extreme heat or when conditions outside are especially humid, leaving men, women and children susceptible to dehy- dration. One way to gauge if you are drinking enough water is to look at the color of your urine. If your urine is clear like water, then you’re likely drinking enough water.When urine is a darker color like the color of apple juice, then you likely need to drink more water. Dizziness, an elevated heart rate and nausea are each symptoms of dehydration, particularly on hot days.

The end of summer means cooler weather is just around the corner. But heat can be very dangerous, and men, women and children should take precautions so a summer heat wave does not take a potentially dangerous toll on them.