06/29/2026
☀️ **EXTREME HEAT WARNING** ☀️
The heat index is soaring, and your local fire department wants to remind everyone that extreme heat is one of the leading weather-related hazards. Heat-related emergencies escalate fast, but they are entirely preventable.
💧 Hydration: Don't Wait Until You're Thirsty
* **Drink proactively:** Sip water throughout the day. If you feel thirsty, your body is already starting to dehydrate.
* **Pick the right fluids:** Stick to water or drinks with electrolytes. Avoid heavy caffeine, alcohol, or highly sugary drinks, which can actually cause your body to lose fluids faster.
* **Know the signs:** If someone is experiencing dizziness, heavy sweating, a weak pulse, or nausea, they may have **heat exhaustion**. Move them to AC, loosen their clothes, and give them cool sips of water.
👵 Check on the Elderly & Vulnerable
Older adults, young kids, and those with chronic medical conditions have a harder time regulating body temperature.
* **Be a good neighbor:** Take a minute to call or knock on the doors of elderly family members or neighbors at least twice a day during a heat wave.
* **Verify their AC:** Ensure their air conditioning units are working properly. If they don't have AC, help them get to a public cooling station, library, or community center.
* **Fans aren't always enough:** In extreme heat and high humidity, a fan blowing hot air will not prevent heat illness. True cooling requires AC or a cool bath/shower.
🐾 Protect Your Pets
Our furry family members rely on us to keep them out of danger. They feel the heat even more intensely than we do.
* **The 7-Second Rule:** Before walking your dog, press the back of your hand flat against the pavement or asphalt. If you can't comfortably hold it there for 7 seconds, **it is too hot for their paws** and will burn them. Stick to the grass or wait for early morning/late evening.
* **Constant water access:** Keep multiple water bowls filled with cool, fresh water. Dropping a few ice cubes in their bowl is a great way to keep it chilled longer.
* **Look Before You Lock:** Never leave a child or a pet in a parked car — even for "just a minute" and even with the windows cracked. A car's interior temperature can spike 20 degrees in less than 10 minutes, quickly turning fatal.
>🚨 **WHEN TO CALL 911:** **Heat Stroke is a life-threatening medical emergency.** If you see someone with confusion, a rapid heart rate, hot/dry skin (or profuse sweating that suddenly stops), or loss of consciousness, **call 911 immediately.** Move them to the shade and use cool water or wet towels to lower their temperature while help is on the way.
