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Posted in 2023.

Extreme Heat Throughout the Week Can Be Very Dangerous

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 25, 2023

 

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Julie Pryde, Administrator
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Tanya Giannotti, Public Relations
(217) 531-2925 / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

John Dwyer, Coordinator/CCEMA (217) 384-3826

 

Extreme Heat Throughout the Week Can Be Very Dangerous

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District and Champaign County Emergency Management Agency Urge the Public to Take Extra Precautions to Stay Safe in the Heat

CHAMPAIGN, IL – The National Weather Service (NWS) is reporting that heat will build over the next several days in central Illinois, with heat indices reaching close to 100 degrees or higher beginning Wednesday afternoon and peaking near 105 degrees both Thursday and Friday. Little overnight relief from the heat is expected, as temperatures fall only into the upper 70s. Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) along with the Champaign County Emergency Management Agency (CCEMA) urge everyone to watch for symptoms of heatrelated illness and take precautions to keep their families and community safe.

Heat-related illness can take many forms ranging from a mild case of heat exhaustion to a more serious and life-threatening case of heat stroke. Heat-related illnesses occur when the body is unable to control its temperature. The body’s temperature rises rapidly, and it loses its ability to perspire and cool down. A temperature rise of 106 degrees or higher within 10 to 15 minutes can result in death or permanent disability if emergency treatment is not provided.

Signs and symptoms of heat-related illness include:

  • Body temperature of 103 degrees or higher
  • Red, hot, dry skin with no signs of perspiration
  • Rapid, strong pulse
  • Throbbing headache
  • Dizziness or confusion
  • Nausea

Never leave children, elderly persons, or pets in a parked car – even for a few minutes with the windows partially open. The vehicle's metal conducts and concentrates intense heat. Brain damage or even death can occur from the rapid temperature rise in the vehicle. Heat-related illnesses are more prevalent among children, the elderly, and pets due to a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, the inability to adjust to sudden changes in temperature, the tendency to retain more body heat, dehydration due to overactivity or exertion, and a lack of adequate fluids.

Precautions to avoid heat-related illness:

  • Stay hydrated. It is recommended that you consume at least 48-64 ounces of cool, noncaffeinated, non-alcoholic beverages (caffeine and alcohol are diuretics and can cause dehydration). Don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink.
  • Reduce the amount of activity during the hottest parts of the day. If you must be active during those times, strive to take frequent breaks in a shady or cool area.
  • Wear light-colored and lightweight clothes.
  • Take a cool shower or sponge bath if you begin feeling over heated.
  • Retreat to an air-conditioned environment if you begin to feel overly warm. If you do not have air conditioning, consider visiting a mall, grocery store, or other public place to cool off.

The following cooling centers are available throughout the local area (some are only available during business hours):

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District is a kid-friendly cooling center open 8:00 a.m.—5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Free breakfast and lunch are provided for children 18 and younger as part of the summer meals program. Educational television, free Wi-Fi, and books for kids are also available. Additional cooling centers can be found at https://keepcool.illinois.gov/cooling-centers.html.

Anyone can suffer heat-related illness and CUPHD and CCEMA urge everyone to take precautions in the summer heat and check on children, the elderly, disabled persons, and pets frequently.

For more information, please visit https://ready.illinois.gov/hazards/extremetempshot.html. You may also contact CUPHD at (217) 352-7961 or visit www.c-uphd.org. 

 

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