The Elderly and the Very Young are the Most Susceptible to Heat Illness

When the dog days of summer deliver hot temperatures and high humidity, the American Red Cross urges the public to take precautions against the heat.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 400 Americans die each year due to summer's heat and humidity. Furthermore, the National Weather Service declares that excessive heat was the number one weather-related killer, causing more fatalities per year than floods, lightning, tornadoes, hurricanes, winter storms and extreme cold from 1994 to 2003.

Everyone is at risk when temperatures rise above 90 degrees but the elderly and the very young are most susceptible to heat and heat-related illnesses. Heat-related illnesses can cause serious injury and even death if unattended. Signs of heat-related illnesses include nausea, dizziness, flushed or pale skin, heavy sweating and headaches. Victims of heat-related illness should be moved to a cool place, given cool water to drink and ice packs or cool wet cloths should be applied to the skin. If a victim refuses water, vomits, or loses consciousness, call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number immediately.

Heat-related illness is preventable. The Red Cross offers the following tips for staying cool and safe this season:

  * Dress for the heat. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing. Light
    colors will reflect away some of the sun's energy. It is also a good
    idea to wear hats or to use an umbrella.
  * Drink water. Carry water or juice with you and drink continuously even
    if you do not feel thirsty. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which dehydrate
    the body. Avoid using salt tablets unless directed to do so by a
    physician.
  * Eat small meals and eat more often. Avoid high-protein foods, which
    increase metabolic heat.
  * Slow down. Avoid strenuous activity. If you must do strenuous activity,
    do it during the coolest part of the day, which is usually in the
    morning between 4 and 7 a.m.
  * Stay indoors when possible. If air-conditioning is not available, stay
    on the lowest floor out of the sunshine.  Remember that electric fans do
    not cool, they simply circulate the air.
  * Be a good neighbor. During heat waves, check in on elderly residents in
    your neighborhood and those who do not have air conditioning.
  * Learn Red Cross first aid and CPR. While the above tips can help prevent
    emergencies, it is crucial to know what to do if an emergency situation
    arises.

  Know What These Heat-Related Terms Mean:

  * Heat cramps: Heat cramps are muscular pains and spasms due to heavy
    exertion. Although heat cramps are the least severe, they are an early
    signal that the body is having trouble with the heat.
  * Heat exhaustion: Heat exhaustion typically occurs when people exercise
    heavily or work in a hot, humid place where body fluids are lost through
    heavy sweating. Blood flow to the skin increases, causing blood flow to
    decrease to the vital organs. This results in a form of mild shock. If
    not treated, the victim may suffer heat stroke. Signals of heat
    exhaustion include cool, moist, pale flushed or red skin; heavy
    sweating; headache; nausea or vomiting; dizziness; and exhaustion. Body
    temperature will be near normal.
  * Heat stroke: Also known as sunstroke, heat stroke is life-threatening.
    The victim's temperature control system, which produces sweating to cool
    the body, stops working. The body temperature can rise so high that
    brain damage and death may result if the body is not cooled quickly.
    Signals include hot, red and dry skin; changes in consciousness; rapid,
    weak pulse; and rapid, shallow breathing. Body temperature can be very
    high -- sometimes as high as 105 degrees F.

  General Care for Heat Emergencies:

  * Heat cramps or heat exhaustion: Get the person to a cooler place and
    have him or her rest in a comfortable position. If the person is fully
    awake and alert, give half a glass of cool water every 15 minutes. Do
    not let him or her drink too quickly. Do not give liquids that contain
    alcohol or caffeine. Remove or loosen tight clothing and apply cool, wet
    cloths, such as towels or sheets. Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency
    number if the person refuses water, vomits or loses consciousness.
  * Heat stroke: Heat stroke is a life-threatening situation! Help is needed
    fast. Call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number. Move the person to a
    cooler place. Quickly cool the body. Immerse victim in a cool bath, or
    wrap wet sheets around the body and fan it. Watch for signals of
    breathing problems. Keep the person lying down and continue to cool the
    body any way you can. If the victim refuses water or is vomiting or
    there are changes in the level of consciousness, do not give anything to
    eat or drink.

For more information on heat safety contact your local American Red Cross chapter or visit http://www.redcross.org/.

The American Red Cross is where people mobilize to help their neighbors -- across the street, across the country and across the world -- in emergencies. Each year, in communities large and small, victims of some 70,000 disasters turn to neighbors familiar and new -- the nearly 1 million volunteers and 35,000 employees of the Red Cross. Through almost 900 locally supported chapters, more than 15 million people gain the skills they need to prepare for and respond to emergencies in their homes, communities and world. Some 4 million people give blood -- the gift of life -- through the Red Cross, making it the largest supplier of blood and blood products in the United States. The Red Cross helps thousands of U.S. service members separated from their families by military duty stay connected. As part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, a global network of 181 national societies, the Red Cross helps restore hope and dignity to the world's most vulnerable people. An average of 91 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs. The Red Cross is not a government agency; it relies on donations of time, money, and blood to do its work. Marsha J. Evans is the President and CEO of the American Red Cross.

Source: American Red Cross

CONTACT: Amanda Mark of the American Red Cross, +1-202-303-4260; cell,
+1-202-439-0696 or markam@usa.redcross.org

Web site: http://www.redcross.org/