Prevent Tragedy During a Heat Wave

With the National Weather Service forecasting temperatures up into the 90s this week, it's more important than ever to make sure know the symptoms of heat exhaustion.  

According to the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH), 175 Americans die of heat-related injuries each year. 

Find below a list provided by the DPH including heat stress symptoms, preventative measures and how to act if affected.

Brookfield also has two cooling centers available to those who need them: the and . The centers will be made available throughout the summer whenever temperatures rise above 90 degrees.

Heat Stress Prevention

Those working in hot environments should be encouraged to drink non-caffeinated liquids frequently to stay properly hydrated, typically 8 ounces of fluids every 20-30 minutes. In addition, onsite workers trained in recognizing and treating heat stress disorders, including heat exhaustion and heat stroke, is essential to early recognition and intervention.

Heat exhaustion symptoms include:

headaches; dizziness or lightheadedness; weakness; mood changes such as irritability, confusion, or the inability to think straight; upset stomach; vomiting; decreased or darkcolored urine; fainting or passing out; and pale, clammy skin.

What should you do?

Act immediately. If not treated, heat exhaustion may advance to heat stroke and death. 

• Move the victim to a cool, shaded area to rest. Don’t leave the person alone.  If symptoms include dizziness or lightheadedness, lay the victim on his or her back and raise the legs 6 to 8 inches.  If symptoms include nausea or upset stomach, lay the victim on his or her side. 
• Loosen and remove any heavy clothing. 
• Have the person drink cool water (about a cup every 15 minutes) unless sick to the stomach. 
• Cool the person’s body by fanning and spraying with a cool mist of water or applying a wet cloth to the person’s skin. 
• Call 911 for emergency help if the person does not feel better in a few minutes. 

Children and Pets

Also, if you have a hectic schedule and have small children or pets, make sure you have a mirror pointing at your backseat or some indication that they are still in the car with you. (Tip: put your purse/briefcase in the backseat so you have to go back there when you get out of the car.)

Kids and Cars, an award-winning organization dedicated to preventing injuries and death to children in or around motor vehicles, reported that 606 children under the age of 15 have died from vehicular heat stroke from 1990 to 2010.  

According to Weather Channel contributor Jan Null (adjunct professor of meteorology at San Francisco State University), after a vehicle has been left in 90-degree heat for 90 minutes, the interior temperature surges to a baking 138 degrees. 

You don't have be gone for an hour-and-a-half for things to get dangerous, though. In just ten minutes, the interior of a vehicle left in 90-degree heat will hit 109 degrees, which can be deadly.