Summer months often mean triple-digit temperatures. Here are a few tips to stay safe.
Leah Romero
NEW MEXICO – Temperatures across New Mexico continue to warm as the summer months draw near.
Summer days in southern New Mexico often reach an excess of 100 degrees, making it dangerous for people and pets to spend extended time outdoors without protection. Here are a few tips to stay safe in the desert heat.
What are heat related illnesses?
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, heat related illnesses include:
- Heat cramps – muscle cramps or spasms experienced after “intense” exercise in hot weather
- Heat exhaustion – caused by loss of water and salt, making a body unable to cool itself
- Heat stroke – the most severe heat illness and is life-threatening if not treated quickly.
Other HRIs include heat rash and sunburn.
The risk of heat illnesses increase as temperatures increase. The New Mexico Department of Health noted in a news release that these illnesses start occurring in the state at temperatures of 80 degrees and above.
The department starts recording heat illness symptoms as early as April in southern and east parts of the state. Certain people are more at risk of illness than others, according to the DOH, including:
- People who work outside
- Athletes and others who spend time outside
- Young children and infants, especially when they are left unattended in cars
- Older adults, who cannot regulate internal temperatures as well as they age
- People with chronic medical conditions may have serious health problems during a heat wave
- Pregnant people, as their bodies must work harder to cool down both their body and the developing baby
How to avoid HRIs and stay safe in the heat
Simple ways to avoid heart related illnesses are to:
- Stay hydrated by drinking more water than you typically do
- Avoid spending prolonged periods of time outside during the hottest parts of the day
- Take breaks in the shade or indoors where there is air conditioning
- Avoid drinking alcohol or other liquids that contain high amounts of sugar
- Replace salt and minerals, which leave your body as you sweat
- Wear lightweight and light-colored clothing
The DOH encourages people to also consider:
- Outdoor workers should let their bodies get used to the heat, slowing their work pace as it gets hot and shifting work time to avoid the hottest times of the day
- Never leave children or pets in a car
- Get swamp coolers or air conditioners serviced before it gets too hot
- Apply for Low Income Home Energy Assistance to help cover the cost of using air conditioners, online at www.hsd.state.nm.us
- Keep window shades drawn during the day to keep heat out of the house
- Plant trees in your yard to provide shade
- Use appliances early in the day or at night when there is less strain on the electrical grid
- Have a plan to get somewhere with air conditioning such as a library, public building or a friend’s house
- Talk to a doctor about medications that make it harder for the body to cool itself in hot weather, such as diuretics, sedatives, tranquilizers and some heart and high blood pressure medicines
- Help people who have a limited capacity to understand how to avoid heat related illness
Safety precautions when going out and about
People should never leave others, including children, elderly or pets in a car. According to the DOH, the temperature inside of a vehicle can reach 117 degrees within 60 minutes when it is 72 degrees outside the car. Leaving a window rolled down, or “cracking it,” does not lessen the effects of excessive heat in a vehicle.
A core body temperature of 106 degrees or higher is known as hyperpyrexia and can cause organ damage or death.
To keep people from suffering an HRI due to prolonged time in a hot vehicle, the Las Cruces Police Department suggest people:
- Do not leave pets or people (sleeping babies, children, elderly) in a vehicle
- Place a purse or wallet in the back seat as a reminder that your child is in the car
- Do not leave pets in the bed or a pickup truck as surface temperatures can rise quickly
- Do not let shade, breezes, windy weather or cloudy days fool you. Warm temperatures and the lack of circulation inside an enclosed vehicle on a warm day, even after sunset, can be deadly
- Avoid leaving your vehicle running and unattended simply to keep the air conditioning on as It can be quickly stolen
- Avoid overexertion of dogs during the heat of the day. Sidewalks and pavement retain heat even after the sun goes down
- Provide pets proper shade, ventilation and fresh water daily
- Always lock your car when unattended and teach children that vehicles are never to be used as play areas
- Check on neighbors and the elderly to ensure they have adequate circulation and cool air in their home
- Call 911 immediately if you see a person or pet left unattended in an enclosed vehicle or otherwise suffering from excessive heat
The National Weather Service tracks heat risk online at www.wrh.noaa.gov/wrh/heatrisk. People can check the map to see where their area falls on the spectrum of extreme risk or little to none. As of June 1, southern New Mexico had minor risk of HRI while the northern parts of the state had little to no risk. However, this can quickly change.
Leah Romero is the trending reporter at the Las Cruces Sun-News and can be reached at 575-418-3442, LRomero@lcsun-news.com or @rromero_leah on Twitter.
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