SFD Chief provides insight into staying safe in hot weather

Jun. 18—Summer weather is finally here, but some sunny days carry the risk of dangerous heat-related situations. Stillwater Fire Chief Terry Essary warns of heat-related illnesses to watch out for, and how to prepare for high heat.

"This year, we went straight from this wet weather pattern where it was really cool every day, just with a real quick turnaround," he said. "There was no transition and it went from cold to hot, so people aren't acclimated to the heat."

Essary said there are a couple of things people can do to prepare for spending time in the heat.

Staying hydrated tops the list.

"Start the day before or start the week before. If you wait until you're thirsty to start drinking, you're already partially dehydrated," Essary said.

He said caffeine, alcohol, pop and tea should be limited while outside because they don't properly hydrate the body. Essary said stick with water or diluted electrolyte beverages that are low in sugar.

He also suggested staying inside or taking extra precautions during the hottest part of the day which would be between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.

"Another thing is as you start getting outside and start acclimating outside, kind of start doing increments, maybe 15 minutes at a time, 30 minutes at a time until your body gets used to it and see how you're gonna respond," Essary said.

Everyone reacts to the heat differently, but pets, children and the elderly should be extra careful, he said.

"With pets, they sweat differently than we do, they sweat through their paws. So they're not going to cool off the same," he said. "They're not gonna respond to the same types of cooling mechanisms that we do. Not to mention, the asphalt gets extremely hot so you're going to burn their feet also."

He suggested pet owners start by leaving their pet out for 15, 20 or 30 minutes at a time.

"You're going to watch your pets just like you would watch your kids," Essary said. "Once they start becoming excessively thirsty or panting or they're acting really tired, then you really want to get concerned and make sure you get them out of the heat and start drinking some water in small amounts."

Essary said he isn't a veterinarian, so he couldn't give specific advice related to breeds, but he suggested keeping an eye on all pets. He said the pet's age, nutrition and pre-existing conditions could determine how they react to heat.

Essary said just like pets, children should start going outside in increments, wear sunscreen, hats and of course stay hydrated to ensure the child doesn't get too hot.

"Referring to warning signs as getting too hot would be excessive sweating, rapid breathing, quick rapid pulse, or acting really tired are all signs of heat exhaustion that can definitely lead to heat stroke and can be life threatening," he said.

Essary said there are a few ways that the community can get prepared for high heat.

"I think just by doing the basic things and really if you know people who don't have air conditioning, if they can get access to fans before the heat gets here," he said.

Essary said the necessity items will be a lot easier to buy before the big heat wave comes in. He also suggested checking on friends, family and neighbors who may have pre-existing health conditions or who may not have a working air conditioner.

Essary's most dire warning to the community is to not leave pets and kids in vehicles.

"Another big thing I can't stress enough is make sure that people don't leave their kids in their cars. Even if the windows are up and the air conditioners are running," Essary said. "Absolutely stay away from that, outside of car crashes that is the leading cause of death for infants and toddlers."

He said the inside of a vehicle can quickly reach 160 or 180 degrees and children don't regulate their body temperature like adults do.

"Just don't leave them in the car, that's a recipe for absolute disaster," he said.