Santa Barbara County issues health alert ahead of excessive heat warning
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. – The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department issued a health alert in response to the National Weather Service's excessive heat warning for the county beginning Wednesday.
The excessive heat warning is in place in Santa Barbara County from 11 a.m. on Wednesday through 8 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 5.
The Public Health Department urges residents to take safety measures to avoid heat-related illnesses like heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
The department offered the following tips:
- Take care of those who might not be aware of the danger or be able to react accordingly – especially the elderly, young children, and pets. Check on your neighbors.
- Wear appropriate clothing. Lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing works best.
- Drink plenty of cool, non-alcoholic beverages, especially those without sugar or caffeine. Do not wait until you are thirsty to drink. If you have fluid restrictions from your doctor, ask to see how much you should drink while the weather is hot.
- Limit outdoor activity. Try to schedule outdoor activities during the cooler parts of the day, like morning and evening hours. Be sure to wear sunscreen and rest often.
- Take regular breaks in the shade or in an air-conditioned room. A few hours in air conditioning can help your body stay cooler. Taking a cool shower or bath can help too.
- If you do not have air‐conditioning, consider arranging to spend at least parts of the day at another space that is cool. Electric fans may provide comfort, but when the temperature is in the high 90s, they will not prevent heat-related illness.
- For those who work outside, be sure to take frequent rest breaks in a shaded area or air-conditioned room, if possible. Stay hydrated and take action by moving to a cooler space if you feel signs of heat exhaustion.
- Know the signs of heat exhaustion. If someone becomes dizzy, nauseated, or sweats heavily, find a cooler location for him or her immediately
- Know the signs of heat stroke. Heat stroke is much more serious than heat exhaustion. The symptoms are similar to heat exhaustion, but also include hot, flushed skin. With heat stroke, the person often stops sweating and the skin will be unusually dry. If heat stroke is a possibility, call 911 immediately. Heat stroke is life-threatening!
- Do not leave children (and pets) unattended in vehicles. It only takes a matter of minutes on a relatively mild day for a vehicle to reach deadly temperatures.
