Stay safe in extreme heat

    With temperatures reaching triple digits, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is reminding residents and visitors to take precautions to avoid heat-related illnesses. Heat-related illnesses include heat exhaustion or heat stroke, which can cause damage to the brain and other vital organs. These conditions happen because the body’s temperature rises faster than the body can cool itself.
    During extreme heat, stay in an air-conditioned place as much as possible. Some counties are partnering with cities and towns to make sure additional locations, such as recreation and senior centers, are available to anyone who needs to come in for a few hours to cool down. Call a local public health agency to see if there are any heat-relief shelters in the area.
    Older adults, the very young, people with mental illness and chronic diseases, and people living without air conditioning are at highest risk for heat-related illness and should be watched closely.
    “Friends, families and neighbors should check in on the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions routinely,” said Dane Matthew, director of the CDPHE Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response. “Heat can also affect young and healthy people if they participate in strenuous physical activities during hot weather.”
    To avoid illness from heat, public health officials recommend these precautions:
    — Stay in an air-conditioned area. If a home does not have air conditioning, go to a shopping mall, library or other place that does. Even a few hours in an air-conditioned environment can keep the body cool.
    — Drink water often; don’t wait until thirsty. Avoid sugary drinks and alcohol, as they cause a loss of body fluid.

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