• Heat Cramps

  • Heavy sweating

  • Muscle cramps

  • Muscle spasms

• Heat Exhaustion

  • Heavy sweating

  • Dizziness

  • Headache

  • Fast, weak pulse

  • Thirst

  • Irritability

  • Nausea

• Heat Stroke

  • Hot dry skin

  • Confusion

  • Loss of consciousness

  • Fast, strong pulse

  • Body temperature of 103°

• Heat Cramps & Exhaustion

  • Fans- Useful for healthy adults up to 100° and individuals with chronic conditions up to 98°

  • Cool Foot Bath- above ankles, 68° water

  • Cool Showers- 5-15 minutes

  • Wet Clothing- repeated every 60 minutes

• Heat Stroke

  • Call 911

  • Sip cool (not cold- iced drinks are not recommended) liquids if alert & awake

  • Move to a cool environment, if possible, or wipe down with cool towels

  • Heat stroke can cause death or disability without emergency treatment

• Infants and children: Infants and children are not able to regulate their body temperature as effectively as adults. Additionally, infants and young children cannot, or cannot fully, communicate that they may be experiencing heat stress. Infants and children rely on others to keep them cool and hydrated when it’s hot outside.

• Pregnant persons: Pregnant persons are more likely to get heat exhaustion, heat stroke or other heat-related illness sooner than non-pregnant persons. This is because their bodies must work harder to cool down both the pregnant person’s body and the developing baby. Pregnant persons are also more likely to become dehydrated, limiting their ability to cool themselves by sweating.

• Persons taking certain medications: Some medications may interfere with the body's ability to regulate its temperature, making individuals more susceptible to heat.

• Older adults (65+): Older adults do not adjust as well as young people to sudden changes in temperature. In addition, they are more likely to have a chronic medical condition that changes normal body responses to heat. Older adults are also more likely to take prescription medicines that may affect the body’s ability to regulate its temperature or sweat.

• Outdoor Workers: People who work outdoors, such as construction workers, agricultural workers, landscape workers, roofers and HVAC technicians, are exposed to higher temperatures, and often for longer periods of time, putting them at increased risk from heat-related illnesses. Additionally, outdoor workers may have limited control over work conditions (e.g., no access to shade or air-conditioning, required clothing or uniforms made from fabrics that don’t breathe). Potential language barriers to receiving heat-related information may also exist among some outdoor workers.

• Low income: Individuals and families with low incomes are more likely to live in poorly ventilated apartments or mobile homes, lack access to air conditioners and be unable to afford the costs of cooling or the cost of transportation to cool places.

• People with underlying health conditions: Those with underlying health conditions  may be less likely to sense and respond to changes in temperature. In addition, they may be taking medications that can make the effects of extreme heat worse.

• Athletes: People who exercise or spend time outdoors in extreme heat are more likely to become dehydrated and get a heat-related illness. This includes both adult and youth athletes.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, employers are responsible for providing workplaces free of known safety and health hazards. This includes protecting workers from heat-related hazards.

Create a Heat Illness Prevention Plan

Are your workers exposed to high temperatures, either indoors or outside? Take the following steps to develop a heat illness prevention program:

• When heat hazards are present, plan ahead to protect workers.

• Understand heat hazards in your workplace and calculate heat stress.

• Protect new workers

• Get guidance on engineering controls, work practices, and PPE

• Remember water, rest, and shade

In Addition to Creating a Heat Illness Prevention Plan:

• Employers should provide training to workers, including supervisors, so they understand heat exposure risks, prevention actions, and first aid.

• Employers and workers should become familiar with the symptoms of heat illness. When any of these symptoms are present, promptly provide first aid.

• Provide your workers with information so they understand the risks of heat exposure and what actions to take. Keep materials easily accessible in the workplace. We like this small pocket guide: https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/OSHA4135.pdf

• Be aware of temperature and humidity levels. Change practice length, intensity and equipment use as the levels rise. Schedule training sessions to avoid the hottest part of the day (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

• Enforce regular rest periods in the shade and see that players drink water every 15 minutes during hot and humid weather. Fluid breaks should be scheduled for all practices and become more frequent as the heat and humidity levels rise. It should be easy for children to drink fluids during practice, and you should remind them to drink regularly. 

• Substitute players frequently to allow adequate rest periods.

• Every athletic organization should have an emergency action plan for obtaining emergency medical services if needed.

• Always have contact information for parents available.

• Check out these resources: 1)A game plan for heat stress 2)Parents & Coaches Guide to Dehydration & Other Heat Related Illnesses

• Never leave your children in a parked car.

• Check the backseat year round. Hot car deaths have occurred each month of the year.

• Always lock parked cars. Deaths have occurred due to children entering unlocked parked cars.

• If your child is missing, check your parked vehicles first.

• Be on guard, even if it's not hot outside. Hot car deaths can occur even if the temperature outside is below 70°

• Educate children on heat safety tips that could save their lives. Download the CDC Children’s Workbook: Ready Wrigley Prepares for Extreme Heat

Be prepared

• Talk to your veterinarian about warm weather risks for pets (and travel safety if you plan to travel with a pet).

• Make sure your pets have unlimited access to fresh water, and access to shade when outside.

• Keep your pet free of parasites that are more common during warm weather, such as fleas, ticks and heartworm.

• Ask your veterinarian how to recognize signs of heat stress.

Keep pets at home

• Leave your pets at home if possible when you need to go out and about.

• Provide different temperature zones within your house for your pet’s comfort.

• Never leave a pet in the car, even in the shade or with windows cracked. Cars can overheat quickly to deadly temperatures, even when the weather isn’t severe.

Keep them comfortable

• If it’s hot outside for you, it’s even hotter for your pet.

• Take walks, hikes or runs during the cooler hours of the day.

• Avoid hot surfaces, such as asphalt, that can burn your pet’s paws.

• Ask your veterinarian if your pet would benefit from a warm-weather haircut or other protection.

Exercising with your pet

• Consult your veterinarian prior to starting an exercise program for your pet. Overweight pets and short-nosed dog breeds have higher risk of problems with warm-weather exercise.

• Don’t walk, run or hike with a dog during the hottest parts of the day or on particularly warm days.

• Take frequent breaks.

• Bring enough water for both you and your pet.

The following is a list of possible supplies that local governments, organizations, or volunteer groups could distribute to groups or individuals with higher risk from extreme heat (e.g., housing insecure, individuals spending time outdoors). 

Hydration

• Bottled water
• Electrolyte packets or drinks such as Gatorade
• Insulated water bottles
• Pet watering bowl

Sun Protection

• Sunscreen (any size)
• Lip Balm (+SPF preferred)
• Sun hats or baseball caps
• Sunglasses
• Umbrellas

Cooling Relief

• Small towel, cooling wrap, or bandana
• Pair of socks
• Instant cold packs
• Aloe vera gel
• Hand-held fans

Other

• Brochure or map showing locations of local heat relief sites (e.g., air-conditioned public buildings, cooling centers) and their hours of operation
• Handouts (e.g., infographics, factsheets) describing the symptoms and treatment for heat-related illnesses, and using both visuals and text to increase their accessibility to a wide range of readers
• Heat-related books, games, puzzles or other activities for children