Heat Advisory Alert

The National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory for today, beginning at 1:00 p.m. through tomorrow, July 22 at 10:00 p.m.

Kids and Pets

Oakland County Health Division cautions residents to protect themselves, especially young children and pets, from heat-related illness such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke when temperatures are high.

Infants and young children are sensitive to the effects of extreme heat and must rely on other people to keep them cool and hydrated. Follow these tips to prevent heat-related illness:

• Never leave infants or children in a parked car. Also, do not leave pets in parked cars – they can suffer heat sickness too.
• While outside, take breaks often, and find air-conditioned places, such as libraries or malls, or shady areas where you can rest. This will give the body a chance to recover. The best time to go outside during a heat advisory is in the morning or evening.
• Dress infants and children in loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing.
• Make sure your child is drinking more water than usual and don’t wait until they are thirsty to give them more.
• Regularly apply sunscreen on your child as indicated on the package.

  

  Heat Advisory Alert

Seek medical care immediately if your child has symptoms of heat-related illness:

• Heavy sweating
• Weakness
• Cold, pale, and clammy skin
• Fast, weak pulse
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fainting

If you think your child is suffering from heat-related illness, move to a cooler location, lie them down, loosen clothing, and apply cool, wet cloths to as much of their body as possible. Have them sip water. If your child has vomited and it continues, seek medical attention immediately.

Older Adults

With temperatures expected to stay in the 90s throughout the weekend, Oakland County Health Division recommends everyone, especially older adults, follow these tips for staying safe in extreme heat. People aged 65 years or older are less likely to sense and respond to changes in temperature.

• Drink more water than usual and do NOT wait until you’re thirsty to drink.
• Check on a friend or neighbor and have someone do the same for you.
• Take cool showers or baths to cool down.
• Wear loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing.
• Never leave grandchildren in a parked car. Also, do not leave pets in parked cars – they can suffer heat sickness too.
• Stay in air-conditioned buildings as much as possible and avoid direct sunlight by keeping shades closed. If unavailable, utilize libraries, malls, and other public facilities.
• Seek medical care immediately if you have, or someone you know has, symptoms of heat-related illness like muscle cramps, headaches, nausea, or vomiting.

Contact your local municipality for a list of cooling centers that may be available in your area. For more information about extreme heat, visit www.cdc.gov/extremeheat. For up-to-date public health information, follow Public Health Oakland on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest @publichealthOC.