The heat wave that began June 30, will continue this week with temperatures above 90 expected through Thursday. Lynda Edwards is reporting for the Times Union that while the Red Cross advises that the elderly and children are most at risk for heat stroke, that does not make others immune. Albany Medical Center's Dr. Michael Dailey, chief of the Pre-hospital Emergency Medicine Division offered the following tips for avoiding heat stroke on the center's Facebook page:
— Drink plenty of water all through the day to stay hydrated.
— If you do not have access to air conditioning, stay indoors with the windows open and use a fan. Limit activity and avoid exercise or strenuous activity.
— Those who don't have AC may want to go to one of the cooling stations now open or go inside an air conditioned shopping mall.
The Red Cross adds these tips:
— Dress in loose, lightweight and light-colored clothes and sandals, sneakers or other light weight shoes. Wear a wide-brimmed hat.
— If a home has awnings to shade windows or porches, open them.
Symptoms of heat stroke include: heavy sweating, muscle cramps, fatigue or weakness, cold, clammy skin, and nausea or vomiting. After calling 911, have the heat stroke victim rest in comfortable position in a cool place. And If they are conscious and not vomiting, give them half a glass of cool water every 15 minutes. Do not offer drinks that contain alcohol or caffeine. A list of cooling stations located throughout the region can be found at wgxc.org [slash] newsroom.