By LYNDON ZAITZ
Of the Keizertimes
Keizer and the mid-Willamette Valley are under an excessive heat warning starting on Friday, July 5, with temperatures expected to over 100 degrees Friday through Monday, July 8.
Overnight temperatures will hover in the 60s through Tuesday. It will not be until the end of next week, Friday, July 12, were day temperatures will return to a more seasonal 80s.
Meteorologists advise the following tips during the high temperatures:
• For outdoor activities: Slow down. Reduce, eliminate or reschedule strenuous activities until the coolest time of the day. Those particularly vulnerable to heat such as children, infants, older adults (especially those who have preexisting diseases, take certain medications, living alone or with limited mobility), those with chronic medical conditions, and pregnant women should stay in the coolest available place, not necessarily indoors.
- Dress for summer. Wear lightweight, loose fitting, light colored clothing to reflect heat and sunlight.
- Minimize direct exposure to the sun. Sunburn reduces your body’s ability to dissipate heat.
- Eating and Drinking
- Eat light, cool, easy-to-digest foods such as fruit or salads. If you pack food, put it in a cooler or carry an ice pack. Don’t leave it sitting in the sun. Meats and dairy products can spoil quickly in hot weather.
- Drink plenty of water (not very cold), non-alcoholic and decaffeinated fluids, even if you don’t feel thirsty. If you are on a fluid-restrictive diet or have a problem with fluid retention, consult a physician before increasing consumption of fluids.
- Do not take salt tablets unless specified by a physician.
- Check on Others
- Check on older, sick, or frail people who may need help responding to the heat. Each year, dozens of children and untold numbers of pets left in parked vehicles die from hyperthermia. Keep your children, disabled adults, and pets safe during tumultuous heat waves.
- Don’t leave valuable electronic equipment, such as cell phones and gps units, sitting in hot cars.
- Make sure rooms are well vented if you are using volatile chemicals.
- For more heat health tips, go to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention