Weather Whys; Heat Safety

This is weather wise. When a heat wave hits your area, it may seem like all you can do is hang on and wait for it to end. That may not be terribly difficult for those who go from air conditioned home to air conditioned car to air conditioned office and back again. But for people without air conditioning, especially the elderly, heat waves can be dangerous and even deadly. For instance, more than 1200 deaths were attributed to the severe heat wave of 1980. Many of those deaths may have been avoidable if people had only known how to cope with extreme heat. There are several strategies for dealing with the problem and for many people, those will make life a bit more comfortable, but for others, those strategies could prove essential. First, try to avoid as much of the heat as possible, where light-colored clothing to reflect some of the sun's heat away from your body, spend time in air conditioned places like the public library or local mall, and stay out of the direct sunlight whenever you can. After all, sunburn makes it more difficult for the body to cool itself off.

Next, drink a lot of water. That replenishes the moisture you lose as your body tries to cool itself down. And remember, perspiration is more than simply losing water. The body is also losing salt, as well, and the loss of too many can upset the body's electrolyte balance. To take care of that problem, you might try some specially formulated athletic drinks, salt tablets, or a little salt water. But one of the most important heat wave safety tips is to know your limits. Take it easy, don't overstress your body, and be aware of the symptoms of heat stroke and other serious heat-related illnesses. We'd like to know what you think of WeatherWise. Please write us at WeatherWise, K-G-O-U radio, the University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, 73019-025-0. WeatherWise is made possible by a grant from the National Science Foundation. I'm Drew Barlow.