SOUTHWEST OHIO COUNTIES UNDER SEVERE WEATHER ALERT
Auglaize, Butler, Champaign, Clark, Clermont, Clinton, Darke, Greene, Hamilton, Logan, Mercer, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, Shelby and Warren.
SOURCES: whio.com and the National Weather Service
Heatstroke symptoms
High body temperature: A body temperature of 104 F (40 C) or higher is the main sign.
Altered mental state or behavior: Confusion, agitation, slurred speech, irritability, delirium, seizures and coma can all result.
Alteration in sweating: Your skin will feel hot and dry to the touch.
Nausea and vomiting: You may feel sick to your stomach or vomit.
Flushed skin: Your skin may turn red as your body temperature increases.
Rapid breathing: Your breathing may become rapid and shallow.
Racing heart rate: Your pulse may significantly increase because heat stress places a tremendous burden on your heart to help cool your body.
Headache: Your head may throb.
SOURCE: The Mayo Clinic.
Suggestions to help prevent heat-related illnesses
• Drink plenty of water and non-alcoholic fluids. Alcoholic drinks can increase a person’s risk to heat-related illnesses.
• Decrease physical activity. This is particularly advisable for joggers and high school or junior high school athletic teams. Exercise activities should occur in the morning or early in the evening. Stay in the shade as much as possible.
• Use air conditioning, if available. Many public buildings, libraries, malls and other locations are air-conditioned.
• Be sure to check on those who do not have air conditioning, including the elderly and pets.
SOURCES: Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County, Clark County Combined Health District and WHIO meteorologists.
Heatstroke symptoms
High body temperature: A body temperature of 104 F (40 C) or higher is the main sign.
Altered mental state or behavior: Confusion, agitation, slurred speech, irritability, delirium, seizures and coma can all result.
Alteration in sweating: Your skin will feel hot and dry to the touch.
Nausea and vomiting: You may feel sick to your stomach or vomit.
Flushed skin: Your skin may turn red as your body temperature increases.
Rapid breathing: Your breathing may become rapid and shallow.
Racing heart rate: Your pulse may significantly increase because heat stress places a tremendous burden on your heart to help cool your body.
Headache: Your head may throb.
SOURCE: The Mayo Clinic.
Suggestions to help prevent heat-related illnesses
• Drink plenty of water and non-alcoholic fluids. Alcoholic drinks can increase a person’s risk to heat-related illnesses.
• Decrease physical activity. This is particularly advisable for joggers and high school or junior high school athletic teams. Exercise activities should occur in the morning or early in the evening. Stay in the shade as much as possible.
• Use air conditioning, if available. Many public buildings, libraries, malls and other locations are air-conditioned.
• Be sure to check on those who do not have air conditioning, including the elderly and pets.
SOURCES: Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County, Clark County Combined Health District and WHIO meteorologists.
The summer heat is expected to get more intense this weekend and reach dangerous levels.
A hazardous weather outlook has been issued by the National Weather Service for 25 counties in Southern Ohio, including all in the Dayton and Springfield areas.
Extreme heat, since 1986, has killed on average more people - 130 - each year than hurricanes, floods, tornadoes and lightning, according to the American Red Cross.
This weekend’s mixture of heat and humidity - which arrives during county fair season - is expected to top 100 degrees while temperatures may not get below 70, an environment which limits the body’s ability to recharge, health officials said.
"These types of conditions can cause those without air conditioning to experience significant physical and mental stress," according to Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County. "When nighttime lows fail to drop below 70 degrees, the human body has a difficult time recovering from the ongoing heat."
Health officials are urging caution about outdoor activities as the Clark County Fair begins today.
Two misting fans with 36-inch blades will be at outdoor sites at the Clark County Fair and more water coolers will be on hand, said Charles Patterson, county health commissioner.
Each fan “should be able to cool multiple people at a time because of the area it can cover,” he said.
While no heat-related illnesses have been reported locally, the extreme weather hits the region at a time when children being left in vehicles are most at risk to die from heatstroke, authorities said.
“Such tragedies peak in July and August and area parents are advised to also check the back seat to avoid leaving their children in hot cars and to keep keys away from children so they cannot get in on their own,” according to AAA.
Nationwide figures this year indicate excessive heat from being left in vehicles has killed 19 children, five shy of the total for all of 2015, according to AAA.
During the next several days health officials will be monitoring reports at hospital emergency rooms and other medical facilities “so if we need to give additional warnings, we’re able to do that as quickly as possible,” Patterson said.
Monday’s temperatures are forecast to hit 90 with lows remaining above 70, according to News Center 7 meteorologists.
If this heatwave continues into next week, health officials may open cooling centers and ask people to check on neighbors, Patterson said.
“Going to a cooling center, going to a store that has air conditioning, seeking an air-conditioned place – where your body can just recharge for a couple of hours before you go back out into the heat – is very important,” he said.
“It’s not just the heat during the day. It’s the consistent heat and humidity overnight that people don’t realize that that catches up to them after a while,” Patterson added.
The ability to be in a cool environment, he noted, is “even more important when we see multiple days in a row where their bodies haven’t had the ability to have a break.”
About the Author
