Heat Illness Prevention
Heat related deaths and illnesses are preventable. Despite this fact, approximately 1,220 people in the United States are killed by extreme heat every year.
Heat-related illnesses, like heat exhaustion or heat stroke, happen when the body is not able to properly cool itself. While the body normally cools itself by sweating, during extreme heat, this might not be enough. In these cases, a person’s body temperature rises faster than it can cool itself down. This can cause damage to the brain and other vital organs.
Older adults, young children, and people with mental illness and chronic diseases are at highest risk. However, even young and healthy people can be affected if they participate in strenuous physical activities during hot weather. Summertime activity, whether on the playing field or the construction site, must be balanced with actions that help the body cool itself to prevent heat-related illness.
Hot days can affect anyone. Visit the National Weather Service’s Heat Risk tracking tool here: HeatRisk | Tracking | NCEH | CDC and enter your zip code to get the HeatRisk for the week in your area and actions you can take to keep you and your family safe.
