News 40 Weather Reports: Is it too hot to celebrate this Fourth? Safety and tips for summer heat
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WNKY) – Cookouts, parades and fireworks may be Fourth of July traditions, but so is heat.
This year, officials are warning that dangerously high temperatures and humidity could turn celebrations into emergencies if precautions aren’t taken.
Stephen Parrott, EMT field supervisor for Medical Center EMS, says that people often underestimate how hot it really is.
“People will look at it and think, well, it’s 80-something degrees or the low 90s, when in real life it feels like it’s 105 or 110 with the humidity,” Parrott says.
Parrott says that sweating is the body’s natural way of cooling off, and once that stops, things can go downhill quickly.
“Your body’s meant to sweat. It’s a cooling mechanism,” Parrott says. “And once you stop sweating, you’ll start heating up, and it’ll eventually start shutting down on you and making you really sick.”
“Once you stop sweating, that is the sign that your body has depleted all of its fluids,” Parrott says. “Another sign is dizziness, real flushed skin.”
He says people shouldn’t try to push through the heat.
“Get inside. Don’t try to think that you can tough it out,” Parrott says. “It will eventually overcome your body.”
“If you’re going to partake with alcohol, you need to take care of yourself,” he says. “Hydrate and stay good. Mix some water in there, some Gatorade.”
While burgers sizzle on the grill, the air feels like it’s cooking too. This Fourth of July, it’s not just the fireworks that can leave you lightheaded. When dew points are this high, the heat gets dangerous fast. Make sure to Hydrate, seek shade, and don’t try to power through.
“If you think that you’re in trouble or you’re having some kind of medical emergency, activate the 911 system,” Parrott says. “Don’t wait until it’s too late.”
As celebrations heat up across the region, officials say being prepared, and paying attention to your body, can help keep the holiday safe for everyone.
