Today is heat awareness day in New York. Considering the harmful effects of extreme heat, it is important that New York residents and visitors understand the dangers of extreme heat. Heat kills by taxing the body beyond its ability to cool. Hot temperatures, combined with high humidity, increase the chances for developing heat disorders. The National Weather Service has developed the heat index to measure heat severity. The heat index, given in degrees Fahrenheit, provides a measure of how hot it really feels when the effect of humidity is considered. Remember, heat index values are computed for shady, light wind conditions. Exposure to full sunshine can increase the index values by 15 degrees or more. Furthermore, strong winds, particularly with hot, dry air can be very dangerous. When extreme heat threatens, the National Weather Service will issue one of the following appropriate alerts:

Excessive Heat Warning: When an excessive heat event is expected in the next 36 hours. These products are issued when an excessive heat event is occurring, is imminent, or has a very high probability of occurrence. The warning is used for conditions posing a threat to life or property. Excessive heat is when the heat index will equal or exceed 105 degrees for two or more hours.

Excessive Heat Watch: When conditions are favorable for an excessive heat event in the next 12 to 48 hours. A watch is used when the risk of a heat wave has increased, but its occurrence and timing is still uncertain. It is intended to provide enough lead time so those who need to set their plans in motion can do so, such as established individual city excessive heat event mitigation plans. 

Heat Advisory: When the heat index is expected to be 100 to 104 for two hours or more. 

Given the expected heat index values, the following heat disorders are likely:
Heat Index 130°+: Heatstroke.

Heat Index 105° to 130°: Heat cramps, heat exhaustion, with possible heatstroke with prolonged exposure and/or physical activity.

Heat Index 90° to 105°: Heat cramps and heat exhaustion with prolonged exposure and/or physical activity.

Heat Index 80° to 90°: Fatigue possible with prolonged exposure and/or physical activity.

The following information describes in detail what happens when the body is confronted with too meat and also contains safety tips to prevent problems.

Too Much Heat

Heat disorders generally have to do with a reduction or collapse of the body's ability to shed heat by circulatory changes and sweating, or a chemical (salt) imbalance caused by too much sweating. When heat gain exceeds the level the body can remove, or when the body cannot compensate for fluids and salt lost through perspiration, the temperature of the body's inner core begins to rise and heat-related illness may develop.

Ranging in severity, heat disorders share one common feature: the individual has overexposed or over exercised for his age and physical condition in the existing thermal environment.

Sunburn, with its ultraviolet radiation burns, can significantly retard the skin's ability to shed excess heat. Studies indicate that, other things being equal, the severity of heat disorders tend to increase with age--heat cramps in a 17-year-old may be heat exhaustion in someone 40, and heat stroke in a person over 60.

Acclimatization has to do with adjusting sweat-salt concentrations, among other things. The idea is to lose enough water to regulate body temperature, with the least possible chemical disturbance.

Children, Adults, and Pets Enclosed in Parked Vehicles Are at Great Risk

Each year children die from hyperthermia as a result of being left enclosed in parked vehicles. Hyperthermia is an acute condition that occurs when the body absorbs more heat than it can dissipate. This can occur even on a mild day.  Studies have shown that the temperature inside a parked vehicle can rise rapidly to a dangerous level for children, adults, and pets.  Leaving the windows slightly open does not significantly decrease the heating rate. The effects can be more severe on children because their bodies warm at a faster rate than adults.

Adults are also susceptible to hyperthermia. On July 12, 2001 a man died of heatstroke after falling asleep in his car with the windows rolled up in the parking lot of a supermarket in Hinds County, Mississippi. 

Heat Safety

Child Safety Tips

• Check to make sure seating surfaces and equipment (child safety seat and safety belt buckles) aren't too hot when securing your child in a safety restraint system in a car that has been parked in the heat.
• Never leave your child unattended in a vehicle, even with the windows down.
• Teach children not to play in, on, or around cars.
• Always lock car doors and trunks -- even at home -- and keep keys out of children's reach.
• Always make sure all child passengers have left the car when you reach your destination. Don't overlook sleeping infants.

Adult Heat Wave Safety Tips

• Slow down. Strenuous activities should be reduced, eliminated, or rescheduled to the coolest time of the day. Individuals at risk should stay in the coolest available place, not necessarily indoors.
• Dress for summer. Lightweight light-colored clothing reflects heat and sunlight, and helps your body maintain normal temperatures.
• Put less fuel on your inner fires. Foods (like proteins) that increase metabolic heat production also increase water loss.
• Drink plenty of water or other non-alcohol fluids. Your body needs water to keep cool. Drink plenty of fluids even if you don't feel thirsty. Persons who (1) have epilepsy or heart, kidney, or liver disease, (2) are on fluid restrictive diets or (3) have a problem with fluid retention should consult a physician before increasing their consumption of fluids. Do not drink alcoholic beverages.
• Spend more time in air-conditioned places. Air conditioning in homes and other buildings markedly reduces danger from the heat. If you cannot afford an air conditioner, spending some time each day (during hot weather) in an air conditioned environment affords some protection.
• Don't get too much sun. Sunburn makes the job of heat dissipation that much more difficult
• Do not take salt tablets unless specified by a physician. 
•  

Know These Heat Disorder Symptoms

SUNBURN: Redness and pain. In severe cases swelling of skin, blisters, fever, headaches. First Aid: Ointments for mild cases if blisters appear and do not break. If breaking occurs, apply dry sterile dressing. Serious, extensive cases should be seen by physician.

HEAT CRAMPS: Painful spasms usually in muscles of legs and abdomen possible. Heavy sweating. First Aid: Firm pressure on cramping muscles, or gentle massage to relieve spasm. Give sips of water. If nausea occurs, discontinue use.

HEAT EXHAUSTION: Heavy sweating, weakness, skin cold, pale and clammy. Pulse thready. Normal temperature possible. Fainting and vomiting. First Aid: Get victim out of sun. Lay down and loosen clothing. Apply cool, wet cloths. Fan or move victim to air conditioned room. Sips of water. If nausea occurs, discontinue use. If vomiting continues, seek immediate medical attention.

HEAT STROKE (or sunstroke): High body temperature (106° F or higher). Hot dry skin. Rapid and strong pulse. Possible unconsciousness. First Aid: HEAT STROKE IS A SEVERE MEDICAL EMERGENCY. SUMMON EMERGENCY MEDICAL ASSISTANCE OR GET THE VICTIM TO A HOSPITAL IMMEDIATELY. DELAY CAN BE FATAL. Move the victim to a cooler environment Reduce body temperature with cold bath or sponging. Use extreme caution. Remove clothing, use fans and air conditioners. If temperature rises again, repeat process. Do not give fluids. Persons on salt restrictive diets should consult a physician before increasing their salt intake.

For more on your weather forecast, click on "Weather" and then the "Live Triple Doppler Radar" tab on our weather page. Make sure you refresh the Doppler radar to see the very latest information, as well. Furthermore, we have our new Interactive Doppler Radar on our website. You can zoom down to street level with Interactive Doppler Radar. You are in total control of where the radar can zoom in. Give it a try. Plus, click on our Severe Weather Tab and our Watches and Warnings map to see the very latest county specific watches and warnings. In addition, you can become my facebook friend here, and  "follow" along with me on Twitter here.