This fall is going start of on a warm note, which may not come as much of a surprise following the extreme heat wave that took place this summer. With that in mind, it is recommended that everyone, especially older adults, children, and those with illnesses make plans for saying safe during periods of extreme heat. It is also important to note for people with respiratory diseases that air quality significantly worsens in heat waves. Examples of heat preparedness include keeping homes well-ventilated, staying in the shade, and procuring air conditioning, if possible. If air conditioning is not immediately available to you, make sure to visit a public facility with air conditioning such as a library or community center.
Los Angeles County has a list of recommendations for heat preparedness, provided here:
-
Avoid the sun from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM when the burning rays are the strongest.
-
Reduce physical activity.
-
Wear wide-brimmed hat and light-colored, lightweight, loose-fitting clothes when you are outdoors.
-
Set your air conditioner between 75° to 80°. If you don’t have air-conditioning, take a cool shower twice a day.
-
Drink plenty of fluids, even if you are not thirsty. Avoid alcohol and caffeine.
-
Use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 if you need to be in the sun.
-
Stay in shade whenever working outdoors.
-
Don’t forget about your pets; they need plenty of water and shade.
For more resources from heat experts, click this link to the LARC Website: #HeatSafeLA - Heat Tips from LARC — Los Angeles Regional Collaborative (laregionalcollaborative.com)
