By Staff
Stay cool, safe this summer
With temperatures hitting nearly 100 degrees last week, it's a good time for a reminder of the importance of staying cool.
With heat illness, the body's cooling system shuts down, according to www.webmd.com.
About 400 people die each year from heat-related illnesses. People over 65 or young children are especially susceptible to heat strokes. Alcohol can increase the risk, as can some medications.
And children die each year from heat-related illness after being left in hot cars. Temperatures rise higher inside cars than on the outside, and do so faster than most people realize. It only takes a few minutes for a situation to turn tragic.
On hot days, the Web site recommends some steps to prevent heat illnesses:
If someone is experiencing heat illness, have the person lie down in a cool place and use water, wet towels and fanning to help cool the person until help arrives.