Turn on your ACs and head inside.
The month of July has been one of the hottest months ever recorded across the world, according to the Associated Press, and between June 11 to 17, the N.C. Dept. of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) has recorded 361 heat-related illness emergency department visits.
Since 2020, the number of heat-related illness emergency department visits have steadily increased through the years, according to the N.C. Heat Reports from NCDHHS: Through May 1 to Sept. 30, 2022, NCDHHS recorded 3,739 cases, while in the same time span in 2021, there were 3,201 cases, and in 2020 there were 3,099.
Because of increased temperatures, Zachary Horner, communications specialist at the Chatham County Public Health Department, provided tips and resources available for community members to get through this hot weather.
“The best things to do in times of high temperatures and extreme heat include drinking more water, spending more time in cool or air-conditioned environments, and reducing outdoor activity levels,” Horner said.
However, he said that since not every household has access to air conditioning, turning on box, ceiling or stand fans can help combat heat. Keeping doors and windows closed, as well as limiting oven and clothes dryer use during the hottest times of the day can help reduce creating more heat in households, he said. Finally, removing extra comforters or thick bedding during the night are other solutions, he added.
In addition, Horner said there are multiple resources that can be helpful to the community to help understand the effects of the high heat on the human body, which can include heat exhaustion, heat stroke and other heat-related illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“From a health perspective, all people can be affected by extreme heat,” Horner said. “But certain populations like older adults, very young children, and those with certain chronic diseases are at higher risk of developing a heat-related illness.”
For more information on recognizing the signs of heat-related illnesses and how to help treat them, visit https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/faq.html.
The Chatham County Public Health Department is working to create a “Heat Action Plan” for Chatham County, Horner said.
“While this won’t be completed for this summer, it will delve into additional strategies to reduce the risk of heat-related illness,” he said. “We expect it to be completed later this year.”
For more information on how to help combat heat, Chatham News & Record previous reporting provides additional resources and information still applicable to this year’s heat: https://chathamnewsrecord.com/stories/here-are-some-cool-tips-for-upcoming-summer-heatwaves,13652