KINCAID POLICE DEPARTMENT

What Is Extreme Heat?

Conditions of extreme heat are defined as summertime temperatures that are substantially hotter and/or more humid than average for location at that time of year. Humid or muggy conditions, which add to the discomfort of high temperatures, occur when a "dome" of high atmospheric pressure traps hazy, damp air near the ground. Extremely dry and hot conditions can provoke dust storms and low visibility. Droughts occur when a long period passes without substantial rainfall. A heat wave combined with a drought is a very dangerous situation.

During Hot Weather

To protect your health when temperatures are extremely high, remember to keep cool and use common sense. The following tips are important:

Drink Plenty of Fluids

During hot weather you will need to increase your fluid intake, regardless of your activity level. Don't wait until you're thirsty to drink. During heavy exercise in a hot environment, drink two to four glasses (16-32 ounces) of cool fluids each hour.

Warning: If your doctor generally limits the amount of fluid you drink or has you on water pills, ask how much you should drink while the weather is hot.

Don't drink liquids that contain alcohol, or large amounts of sugar—these actually cause you to lose more body fluid. Also avoid very cold drinks, because they can cause stomach cramps.

Replace Salt and Minerals

Heavy sweating removes salt and minerals from the body. These are necessary for your body and must be replaced. If you must exercise, drink two to four glasses of cool, non-alcoholic fluids each hour. A sports beverage can replace the salt and minerals you lose in sweat. However, if you are on a low-salt diet, talk with your doctor before drinking a sports beverage or taking salt tablets.

Wear Appropriate Clothing and Sunscreen

Wear as little clothing as possible when you are at home. Choose lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing. Sunburn affects your body's ability to cool itself and causes a loss of body fluids. It also causes pain and damages the skin. If you must go outdoors, protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat (also keeps you cooler) along with sunglasses, and by putting on sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher (the most effective products say "broad spectrum" or "UVA/UVB protection" on their labels) 30 minutes prior to going out. Continue to reapply it according to the package directions.

Schedule Outdoor Activities Carefully

If you must be outdoors, try to limit your outdoor activity to morning and evening hours. Try to rest often in shady areas so that your body's thermostat will have a chance to recover.

Pace Yourself

If you are not accustomed to working or exercising in a hot environment, start slowly and pick up the pace gradually. If exertion in the heat makes your heart pound and leaves you gasping for breath, STOP all activity. Get into a cool area or at least into the shade, and rest, especially if you become lightheaded, confused, weak, or faint.

Stay Cool Indoors

Stay indoors and, if at all possible, stay in an air-conditioned place. If your home does not have air conditioning, go to the shopping mall or public library—even a few hours spent in air conditioning can help your body stay cooler when you go back into the heat. Call your local health department to see if there are any heat-relief shelters in your area. Electric fans may provide comfort, but when the temperature is in the high 90s, fans will not prevent heat-related illness. Taking a cool shower or bath or moving to an air-conditioned place is a much better way to cool off. Use your stove and oven less to maintain a cooler temperature in your home.

Use a Buddy System

When working in the heat, monitor the condition of your co-workers and have someone do the same for you. Heat-induced illness can cause a person to become confused or lose consciousness. If you are 65 years of age or older, have a friend or relative call to check on you twice a day during a heat wave. If you know someone in this age group, check on them at least twice a day.

Monitor Those at High Risk

Although anyone at any time can suffer from heat-related illness, some people are at greater risk than others.

• Infants and young children are sensitive to the effects of high temperatures and rely on others to regulate their environments and provide adequate liquids.
   
• People 65 years of age or older may not compensate for heat stress efficiently and are less likely to sense and respond to change in temperature.
   
• People who are overweight may be prone to heat sickness because of their tendency to retain more body heat.
   
• People who overexert during work or exercise may become dehydrated and susceptible to heat sickness.
   
• People who are physically ill, especially with heart disease or high blood pressure, or who take certain medications, such as for depression, insomnia, or poor circulation, may be affected by extreme heat.

Visit adults at risk at least twice a day and closely watch them for signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Infants and young children, of course, need much more frequent watching.

Adjust to the Environment

Be aware that any sudden change in temperature, such as an early summer heat wave, will be stressful to your body. You will have a greater tolerance for heat if you limit your physical activity until you become accustomed to the heat. If you travel to a hotter climate, allow several days to become acclimated before attempting any vigorous exercise, and work up to it gradually.

Do Not Leave Children in Cars

Even in cool temperatures, cars can heat up to dangerous temperatures very quickly. Even with the windows cracked open, interior temperatures can rise almost 20 degrees Fahrenheit within the first 10 minutes. Anyone left inside is at risk for serious heat-related illnesses or even death. Children who are left unattended in parked cars are at greatest risk for heat stroke, and possibly death. When traveling with children, remember to do the following:

• Never leave infants, children or pets in a parked car, even if the windows are cracked open.
• To remind yourself that a child is in the car, keep a stuffed animal in the car seat. When the child is buckled in, place the stuffed animal in the front with the driver.
• When leaving your car, check to be sure everyone is out of the car. Do not overlook any children who have fallen asleep in the car.

Use Common Sense

Remember to keep cool and use common sense:

• Avoid hot foods and heavy meals—they add heat to your body.
• Drink plenty of fluids and replace salts and minerals in your body. Do not take salt tablets unless under medical supervision.
• Dress infants and children in cool, loose clothing and shade their heads and faces with hats or an umbrella.
• Limit sun exposure during mid-day hours and in places of potential severe exposure such as beaches.
• Do not leave infants, children, or pets in a parked car.
• Provide plenty of fresh water for your pets, and leave the water in a shady area.

Hot Weather Health Emergencies

Even short periods of high temperatures can cause serious health problems. During hot weather health emergencies, keep informed by listening to local weather and news channels or contact local health departments for health and safety updates. Doing too much on a hot day, spending too much time in the sun or staying too long in an overheated place can cause heat-related illnesses. Know the symptoms of heat disorders and overexposure to the sun, and be ready to give first aid treatment.

Heat Stroke

Heat stroke occurs when the body is unable to regulate its temperature. The body's temperature rises rapidly, the sweating mechanism fails, and the body is unable to cool down. Body temperature may rise to 106°F or higher within 10 to 15 minutes. Heat stroke can cause death or permanent disability if emergency treatment is not provided.

Recognizing Heat Stroke

Warning signs of heat stroke vary but may include the following:

• An extremely high body temperature (above 103°F, orally)
• Red, hot, and dry skin (no sweating)
• Rapid, strong pulse
• Throbbing headache
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Confusion
• Unconsciousness

What to Do

If you see any of these signs, you may be dealing with a life-threatening emergency. Have someone call for immediate medical assistance while you begin cooling the victim. Do the following:

• Get the victim to a shady area.
• Cool the victim rapidly using whatever methods you can. For example, immerse the victim in a tub of cool water; place the person in a cool shower; spray the victim with cool water from a garden hose; sponge the person with cool water; or if the humidity is low, wrap the victim in a cool, wet sheet and fan him or her vigorously.
• Monitor body temperature, and continue cooling efforts until the body temperature drops to 101-102°F.
• If emergency medical personnel are delayed, call the hospital emergency room for further instructions.
• Do not give the victim fluids to drink.
• Get medical assistance as soon as possible.

Sometimes a victim's muscles will begin to twitch uncontrollably as a result of heat stroke. If this happens, keep the victim from injuring himself, but do not place any object in the mouth and do not give fluids. If there is vomiting, make sure the airway remains open by turning the victim on his or her side.

Heat Exhaustion

Heat exhaustion is a milder form of heat-related illness that can develop after several days of exposure to high temperatures and inadequate or unbalanced replacement of fluids. It is the body's response to an excessive loss of the water and salt contained in sweat. Those most prone to heat exhaustion are elderly people, people with high blood pressure, and people working or exercising in a hot environment.

Recognizing Heat Exhaustion

Warning signs of heat exhaustion include the following:

• Heavy sweating
• Paleness
• Muscle cramps
• Tiredness
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fainting

The skin may be cool and moist. The victim's pulse rate will be fast and weak, and breathing will be fast and shallow. If heat exhaustion is untreated, it may progress to heat stroke. Seek medical attention immediately if any of the following occurs:

• Symptoms are severe
• The victim has heart problems or high blood pressure

Otherwise, help the victim to cool off, and seek medical attention if symptoms worsen or last longer than 1 hour.

What to Do

Cooling measures that may be effective include the following:

• Cool, nonalcoholic beverages
• Rest
• Cool shower, bath, or sponge bath
• An air-conditioned environment
• Lightweight clothing

Heat Cramps

Heat cramps usually affect people who sweat a lot during strenuous activity. This sweating depletes the body's salt and moisture. The low salt level in the muscles may be the cause of heat cramps. Heat cramps may also be a symptom of heat exhaustion.

Recognizing Heat Cramps

Heat cramps are muscle pains or spasms—usually in the abdomen, arms, or legs—that may occur in association with strenuous activity. If you have heart problems or are on a low-sodium diet, get medical attention for heat cramps.

What to Do

If medical attention is not necessary, take these steps:

• Stop all activity, and sit quietly in a cool place.
• Drink clear juice or a sports beverage.
• Do not return to strenuous activity for a few hours after the cramps subside, because further exertion may lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
• Seek medical attention for heat cramps if they do not subside in 1 hour.

The following documents will aid you and your family in preparing for severe weather and natural disasters.

Please make sure to discuss some of these with your children so they too know what to do in case of a emergency. 

1. Severe Weather Preparedness.

2. Family Emergency Plan.

3. Disaster Kit.

General tips:

• Buy/use only lighting sets and extension cords that bear the Underwriters’ Laboratories (UL) or Factory Mutual (FM) label and are specifically marked for indoor use.

• Make certain you take time to unroll/untangle and inspect each set of lights —new or old— for worn insulation, bare/frayed wires, broken or cracked sockets, and loose connections. If you find any such damage, do not try to repair the set. Throw it away. Replace broken/damaged lamps/bulbs (and unplug the set prior to changing lamps/bulbs!)

• Be careful not to overload electrical outlets. Always look for the manufacturer's recommendations on the number of light sets that can be strung together and other precautions listed on the packaging for the lights. If no manufacturer's instructions are available, as a general rule, never string more than three sets of lights per single extension cord.

• Protect the electrical wires from damage. Don't run lights/wires behind drapes, under carpet, through doorways, or where they will be walked on. Don't use nails or tacks to hang wires. Plastic non-conductive "hangers" are available for various holiday light-set hanging needs.

• Always unplug lights before doing any maintenance work on them.

Outdoor lighting considerations:

• Buy/use only lighting sets and extension cords that bear the Underwriters’ Laboratories (UL) or Factory Mutual (FM) label and are specifically marked for outdoor use.

• Always look for the manufacturer's recommendations on the number of lights sets that can be strung together and other precautions listed on the packaging for the lights.

• Check all light sets for fraying, aging, and heat damage. Throw away any sets that show signs of damage.

• Connect sets of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into an outlet.

• Always test your light sets before setting up your ladder —replacing broken/burnt-out bulbs is much easier on the ground than on a ladder/roof!

• To hold lights in place, string them through hooks or insulated staples; do not use nails or tacks. Never pull or tug lights to remove or disconnect them.

• Plug all outdoor electric decorations into circuits with GFI (ground fault circuit interrupter) protection to avoid potential shocks.

• If you are using a ladder, avoid contact with overhead power lines when setting up your ladder, stringing lights, or working on the roof.
  
  

• Wherever extension cords and light sets are connected together outdoors, keep the connections dry by wrapping them with friction tape or plastic.

Tree Safety:

Fresh Trees —When selecting your tree, make sure to shake the tree vigorously, tap it on the ground, and watch for excessive loss of needles. If the tree loses a lot of needles, it's already drying out, and a dry tree significantly increases the risk of the tree catching fire in your home. The trunk butt should be sticky with resin. Fresh trees should be green and the needles should be difficult to pull from the branches. Another good test is to take a single needle and bend it between your fingers. The needle should bend, not break. 

• Once you've selected a fresh tree and gotten it home, secure it in a sturdy stand and provide it with adequate water. At holiday time, many stores carry products designed to help you keep track of when your tree needs water. Keeping your tree well-watered will keep it supple so it retains its needles, making for less cleanup after the holidays and a lesser fire danger. Be sure to keep the stand filled with water because both cut and live trees dry out rapidly in heated rooms.

• Use only non-combustible or flame-resistant materials to trim a tree. Choose tinsel or artificial icicles of plastic or nonleaded metals.
   
  (Hopefully you won't even find "leaded" metal products available anywhere! For more information about lead-poisoning, click here to jump to the CDC's Lead Poisoning Prevention Program website, which includes lists of current product recalls involving lead.).

• Artificial Trees —If you're considering an artificial tree, the most important thing to look for is the "Fire Resistant" label. This means the tree has been treated with a chemical that makes it resist burning — It does not mean the tree can't, or won't, catch on fire. NEVER use electric lights on metallic trees — use spotlights for illumination. The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and a person touching a branch could be electrocuted.

• Greens —Evergreen (but NEVER cedar) cuttings may be used in limited quantities, but keep greens away from heat sources (radiators, air vents, large appliances, light receptacles, etc.) and don't smoke near trees or greens. To be as safe as possible, greens/cuttings used for door adornment or for corridor/stairwell decorations (or really for use anywhere other than as a table centerpiece) should be flameproofed by flocking or other treatment.

Tree Lighting —Decorate the tree first, and plug in the lights last.

• Try to insure your lamps/bulbs don't touch the tree or other decorations. Take time to unroll/untangle and carefully inspect each set of lights before stringing it on the tree. It's easier to find and replace broken and burnt-out bulbs before stringing your lights on the tree! (And if a light set doesn't work at all, better to know so before it's on the tree, too!)

• Turn off or unplug your indoor holiday lighting whenever the decorated area of the house is unattended –-not just when going to bed or leaving the house. Nowadays, relatively cheap wired and wireless "remote control" switches are available to ease this task (and keep you from having to crawl/bend behind a Christmas tree or furniture to unplug a lighting set/scene.) Outdoor lighting timers and remote-control sets are also available and should be considered.
  • Never use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens. When using candles for holiday accents, always use non-flammable holders, and place candles where they cannot be overturned.
  • In homes with small children, take special care to avoid decorations that are sharp or breakable; keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children to avoid the child swallowing or inhaling small pieces. Avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that may tempt a child to eat them.
  • Wear gloves to avoid eye and skin irritation while decorating with spun glass "angel hair." Follow container directions carefully to avoid lung irritation while decorating with artificial snow sprays.
  • Remove all wrapping papers, bags, paper, ribbons and bows from tree and fireplace areas promptly after gifts are opened. These items can pose suffocation and choking hazards to a small child, or can ignite if near a heat source.
   

  Live Tree & Greens/Cuttings Removal — Live trees and greens/cuttings should be removed as soon as practical after the holiday for which they were used.

   

  Candle Safety Tips:

  • Make sure candles are placed in sturdy, non-combustible holders that will not tip, away from decorations, drapes, and other combustible materials.
  • Check your candles frequently to make sure they don't burn down too far or drip hot wax.
  • Keep small children away from candles and never leave children unattended in a room with lit candles.
  • Keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children.
  • Do not use candles to decorate Christmas trees.
  • Keep Yule Logs, Menorahs and Kinaras away from drapes, trees or any other potentially flammable objects.
  • Extinguish candles and turn off decorative lights before leaving home or going to sleep.
  • For holiday decorating, you should purchase/use only materials labeled as noncombustible, flame-resistant, or flame-retardant. Locate all decorations and decorating materials away from heat sources.
  • These materials should never be used for holiday decorations, under any circumstances, because they are inherently combustible and/or cannot be flameproofed: bamboo, cedar trees/branches, corn stalks/shucks, cotton or confetti (loose, in large quantities), dry moss/leaves, flammable powders/liquids, hay/straw (loose or baled), paper streamers (serpentine), plastic sheeting/pellets, sawdust, tumbleweeds, wood bark/shavings
  • Keep holiday plants such as mistletoe, holly berries, and Christmas cactus away from children and pets.
    
    Poinsettias — Previously considered a poisonous plant, recent studies have shown that the poinsettia is nontoxic. Ingestion of small amounts may result in mild gastrointestinal irritation (upset stomach) and could make pets very sick.
  
  

  Toy Safety
  —Select toys to suit the age, abilities, skills and interest level of the intended child. Toys too advanced may pose safety hazards for younger children.

  • Tips to help choose appropriate toys for children:
    
    • Magnets — For children under age six, avoid building sets with small magnets. If swallowed, serious injuries and/or death can occur.
    • Small Parts — For children younger than age three, avoid toys with small parts, which can cause choking. Look for sturdy construction, such as tightly-secured eyes, noses and other potential small parts.
    • Ride-on Toys — Riding toys, skateboards and in-line skates go fast and falls could be deadly. Helmets and safety gear should be sized to fit.
    • Projectile Toys — Projectile toys such as air rockets, darts and sling shots are for older children. Improper use of these toys can result in serious eye injuries. For all children under 8, avoid toys that have sharp edges and points.
    • Chargers and Adapters — Charging batteries should be supervised by adults. Chargers and adapters can pose thermal burn hazards to children.

     

  • Be a label reader when shopping for toys! Look for toy labels that give age and safety recommendations and use that information as a guide. And, before allowing your child to play with a toy that he has received as a gift, read the instructions carefully.
  • To prevent both burns and electrical shocks, don't give young children (under age ten) a toy that must be plugged into an electrical outlet. Instead, buy toys that are battery-operated. Pay attention to instructions and warnings on battery chargers. Some chargers lack any device to prevent overcharging.
  • Children under age three can choke on small parts contained in toys or games. Government regulations specify that toys for children under age three cannot have parts less than 1 1/4 inches in diameter and 2 1/4 inches long.
  • Children under age 8 can choke or suffocate on un-inflated or broken balloons. Remove strings and ribbons from toys before giving them to young children.
  • Immediately discard plastic wrappings on toys before they become dangerous playthings.
  • Watch for pull toys with strings that are more than 12 inches in length. They could be a strangulation hazard for babies.