Milwaukee Health Department urges residents to stay safe in warm weather

MILWAUKEE – The Health Department of the City of Milwaukee (MHD) urged residents on Monday, July 15 to take steps to stay cool and safe during our warmer weather than usual.

MHD, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), recommends that the public take the following precautions in hot weather:

Stay calm

• Slow down and limit your physical activity and try to spend part of your day in air-conditioned spaces such as shopping malls, cinemas or libraries.
• Never leave children, people with disabilities or pets in a parked car, as the temperature can be life threatening in minutes.
• Wear light, loose, light colored clothing.
• Take baths or cold showers and use wet towels on your skin to help cool you down.
• Use fans to increase ventilation, unless temperatures exceed 90 degrees, as fans become ineffective at reducing heat-related illnesses.
• Check twice a day who is most at risk:
  • Infants and young children;
  • The elders;
  • People with Disabilities;
  • People with psychiatric illnesses and people with chronic heart or lung problems;
  • Overweight people;
  • Those who work outdoors or in hot places; and
  • People taking certain medications related to blood pressure, heart disease and mental health.

Stay hydrated

• Drink plenty of water all day, whatever your thirst, to avoid dehydration.
• Avoid drinking caffeinated beverages or alcohol because they can increase the effects of heat.
• Remind others to drink enough water.

Stay informed

• Check local news and weather reports for extreme heat alerts and safety tips.
• Be aware of the symptoms of heat illness:
  • Symptoms of heat exhaustion include: intense sweating, pallor, muscle cramps, fatigue, weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea, vomiting or fainting.
  • Symptoms of heat stroke include: extremely high body temperature, hot, dry skin (no sweating), rapid pulse, throbbing headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion, or loss of consciousness.
• If you experience symptoms during hot weather, switch to air conditioning, drink water, put yourself under a fan and put on fresh washcloths. If symptoms worsen or do not improve, please go to your local emergency or emergency center.

In high or extreme heat conditions, MHD encourages residents to search for cold designated sites. A list of Milwaukee cooling sites, as well as heat safety tips, are available online at the address milwaukee.gov/hotweathersafety.