STAY HYDRATED!!!!!! Heat: The Silent Killer

[FourScore]

America's Greatest Weather Killer
by Jonathan Erdman, Sr. Meteorologist

Heat: The Silent Killer

According to NOAA, heat is by far the #1 weather-related killer in the U.S, claiming, on average, over 1,500 lives each year! This high death toll is arrived at by considering both mortality rates during a heat wave versus average, as well as counting fatalities where people are found in high temperature environments without any cooling devices.

In fact, NOAA also says from 1936 through 1975, almost 20,000 were killed by the effects of heat and solar radiation!

Of course, in any given year, one other phenomenon can dominate the others, such as the deadly 2011 tornadoes or the 2005 hurricane season.

But heat can't claim the single-event death tolls of the 1900 Galveston Hurricane or 2005's Hurricane Katrina, can it? Read below. You might be shocked.

Heat Factoids

An intense summer heat wave in 1980 claimed more than 1250 lives.
An infamous July 1995 heat wave claimed 700 lives in Chicagoland.
An estimated 50,000 were killed by a record heat wave in Europe, including roughly 15,000 in France alone.

This begs the question: "Why is excessive heat still so deadly here in the 21st century?..."

MORE: http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/news/articles/us-weather-deaths-perspective_2011-06-15?page=2

[MuseRider]

1. out in it right now

Was going to look for the temp but stopped by here first. Sweating so hard my eyes sting. Guess that means I still have enough salt! Walking and grazing an old horse. Must be done before it really gets hot later. Not a break in sight for us. I think I will nap this afternoon since we started chores early to try to avoid this. It is getting old, these temps.

[Shagbark Hickory]

2. Not just the heat but the humidity. It keeps your sweat from evaporating and cooling you.

[Obamanaut]

3. On my way out to mow. Carry a cooler with several beverages in it -

all non-alcoholic. I keep orange juice, gatorade, and plain water with me every time I do yard work. I didn't useta, but advancing age has taught me a thing or two.

Now, if I could just do these things in the early morning or later in the day, that would be much smarter. It looks like I lied about age teaching me a thing or two.

[damntexdem]

4. I still prefer it to severe cold; but is is a killer.

So stay hydrated, but not with tap water -- not unless you live somewhere you can trust tap water (San Francisco comes to mind, with its Hetch Hetchy water).

[RebelOne]

6. I will take the severe cold any time.

Plus I have always hated summer because I can stand the heat.

[in_cog_ni_to]

5. My son's a Lifeguard and had to work today. 110 degrees here

and there's absolutely NO SHADE at the place he works. Poor kid. :(

[truedelphi]

7. Encourage him to avoid caffeine and drink

Any and everything that ahs vitamin C.


Caffeine depletes the body's ability to deal with heat, while Vit C helps.

Still and all, why can't there be some type of overhang that provides shade?
(As long as it doesn't interfere with his view of the swimmers.)

[in_cog_ni_to]

8. I know and this is a huge Sportsman's Club surrounded by trees.

None of the Lifeguards are allowed to hang in the shade around the edges of the lake. They have posts on the beach and that's where they have to stand....on the hot sand with no trees or awnings. :( He just got home about 30 minutes ago and said it was BRUTAL out there.

I'll pass along the caffeine and Vitamin C tips. Thanks. :)

9. I canoed the river yesterday. Ended up with second-degree burns.

We even put sunblock on before the trip, but left the sunblock tube in the car. We were at the sun's mercy for six hours. Last night, we had to go to the ER. Diagnosed with second-degree burns and dehydration. Both of us are nauseated, dizzy, headachy, and we feel like we've been deep-fried.

Moral to the story: If you're going to be out in the sun for even 15 minutes, especially if your not of equatorial descent, slather on the sun screen every 30 minutes.