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Extreme Heat Preparedness

For the next few days, Chautauqua County will be in the grips of extreme heat with summertime temperatures that are much hotter than average and high humidity levels. Heat related deaths and illnesses are preventable. Despite this, over 1,200 people in the United States are killed by extreme heat every year. The Chautauqua County Health Department urges residents to take precautions and seek cooling centers if needed.

    STAY COOL

  • Wear appropriate clothing. Choose lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
  • Stay cool indoors. Stay in an air-conditioned place as much as possible. If your home does not have air conditioning, go to a shopping mall/store or a public library—even a few hours spent in air conditioning can help your body stay cooler when you go back into the heat. Electric fans may provide comfort, but when the temperature is in the high 90s, they may not prevent heat-related illness. Using a fan, in combination with a cool mist from a spray bottle or damp wash cloth, or after taking a cool shower or bath, is a very effective way for the body to be cooled. Use your stove and oven less to maintain a cooler temperature in your home. If you do not have access to air conditioners at home, you may want to use fans during the middle of the day on upper levels to vent hot air out.

                                                       COOLING CENTERS IN CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY

  • Schedule outdoor activities carefully. Try to limit your outdoor activity to when it’s coolest, like morning and evening hours. Rest often in shady areas so that your body has a chance to recover. If you must work during extreme heat, stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids.
  • Pace yourself. Cut down on exercise during the heat. If exertion in the heat makes your heart pound and leaves you gasping for breath, STOP all activity. Get into a cool area or into the shade, and rest, especially if you become lightheaded, confused, weak, or faint.
  • Wear sunscreen. Sunburn affects your body’s ability to cool down and can make you dehydrated. If you must go outdoors, protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and by putting on sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher 30 minutes prior to going out. Continue to reapply it according to the package directions.
  • Do not leave children or pets in cars. Cars can quickly heat up to dangerous temperatures, even with a window cracked open. While anyone left in a parked car is at risk, children are especially at risk of getting a heat stroke or dying.

 

Find out Your Heat Risk. 

Enter your zip code to get the HeatRisk for this week and actions you can take to keep you and your family safe.

 

Keep Kids out of Hot Cars! 

More than half of children who died in a hot vehicle were forgotten by a parent or caregiver. In just 10 minutes, a car can heat up and become deadly. Learn more

Pets:

Heat affects animals quickly, so make sure they are safe from extreme heat this week by:

  • Limiting their exercise on hot days.
  • Providing them with ample shade & water.
  • NEVER leaving them in a parked vehicle.
  • Walking them in the grass to protect their paws.

pets

    STAY HYDRATED

  • Drink plenty of fluids. Drink more fluids, regardless of how active you are. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink. If your doctor limits the amount you drink or has you on water pills, ask how much you should drink while the weather is hot.
  • Stay away from very sugary or alcoholic drinks. These actually cause you to lose more body fluid.
  • Replace salt and minerals. Heavy sweating removes salt and minerals from the body that need to be replaced. A sports drink can replace the salt and minerals you lose in sweat. If you are on a low-salt diet, have diabetes, high blood pressure, or other chronic conditions, talk with your doctor before drinking a sports beverage or taking salt tablets.
  • Keep your pets hydrated. Provide plenty of fresh water for your pets and leave it in a shady area.

Know the Symptoms of Heat Related Illness

Learn the signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses and how to treat them. Heat-related illnesses, like heat exhaustion or heat stroke, happen when the body is not able to properly cool itself. While the body normally cools itself by sweating, during extreme heat, this might not be enough. In these cases, a person's body temperature rises faster than it can cool itself down. This can cause damage to the brain and other vital organs.

Illness

Symptom

 

What To Do

Heatstroke THIS IS AN EMERGENCY – ACT FAST

  • Hot, dry, red skin
  • Rapid pulse
  • High body temperature ≥ 105°F
  • Loss of alertness
  • Confusion
  • Unconsciousness or coma
  • Rapid and shallow breathing
  • Call 911 immediately.
  • Cool the person quickly.
  • Bring to a cool place and use a cool bath or sponges, fans, or air-conditioning.

OR

  • Wrap ice packs in cloth and place on neck, wrists, ankles, and armpits.

OR

  • Remove clothing and wrap the person in cool, wet sheets.

Heat Exhaustion

  • Heavy sweating
  • Fainting
  • Vomiting
  • Cold, pale, clammy skin
  • Dizziness
  • Headache
  • Nausea
  • Weakness
  • Heat exhaustion can quickly lead to heatstroke. If symptoms worsen or don’t improve, get medical help.
  • Move the person to a cool place if you’re able to do it safely.
  • Loosen clothes and apply cool, wet cloths to the neck, face, and arms.
  • Have the person sip water slowly. Provide half a glass of water every 15 minutes – up to about 1 quart. Stop giving water if vomiting occurs.

Heat Cramps

  • Muscle cramps in the abdominal area or extremities
  • Heavy sweating
  • Mild nausea
  • Move the person to a cool place if you’re able to do it safely.
  • Apply firm pressure to the cramping muscle.
  • Gently stretch the cramped muscle and hold it for 20 seconds followed by gentle massage.
  • Have the person drink some cool water

Heat Rash

  • Skin irritation that looks like a red cluster of pimples or small blisters
  • Move the person to a cool place if you’re able to do it safely.
  • Keep the affected area dry.
  • Have the person use talcum powder to increase comfort.
  • Use the buddy system.  Heat-related illness can cause a person to become confused or pass out. When working in the heat, monitor co-workers and have someone do the same for you.
  • Check on people who are at high risk.  Although anyone at any time can suffer from heat-related illness, some people are at greater risk than others:
    • Infants and young children
    • People 65 years of age or older
    • People who are overweight
    • People who overexert during work or exercise
    • People who are physically ill, especially with heart disease or high blood pressure, or who take certain medications, such as for depression, insomnia, or poor circulation.

Check on adults at high risk at least twice a day and closely watch them for signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke.  Infants and children should be monitored for symptoms more frequently.

 

RESOURCES

 

 

 

Chautauqua County Cooling Centers:
Please note on Wednesday, June 19th- various libraries, Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc., and the Department of Mental Hygiene and Social Services will be closed for the Juneteenth Holiday.

Facility

Address

Contact Number

Hours of Operation

Ahira Hall Memorial Library

37 W Main St,
Brocton, NY 14716

716-792-9418

Mon & Wed: 1:00PM-8:00PM; Tues & Thu: 10:00AM-5:00PM; Fri: 1:00PM-5:00PM; Sat: 10:00AM-1:00PM

Mina Findley Lake Community Center / Alexander Findley Library

2883 N Rd,
Findley Lake, NY 14781

716-769-6568

Mon, Wed, Fri: 8:30AM-4:00PM;
Tues, Thurs: 8:30AM-7:00PM,
Sat: 9:00AM-2:00PM

Ashville Free Library

2200 N Maple Ave, Ashville, NY 14710

716-763-9906

Mon -Fri: 9:30AM-5:00PM

Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc

10825 Bennett Rd, Dunkirk, NY 14048

716-366-8176

Mon -Fri: 8:30AM-4:30PM

Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc

402 Chandler St, Jamestown, NY 14701

716-661-9430

Mon -Fri: 8:30AM-4:30PM

Chautauqua Mall 318 Fairmount Ave, Lakewood, NY    716-763-9355 Mon-Thurs 11:00AM-7:00PM; Fri 11:00AM-8:00PM; Sat 10:00AM-8:00PM; Sun 11:00AM-6:00PM

Department of Mental Hygiene and Social Services

110 East 4th St, Jamestown, NY 14701

716-661-8200

Mon -Fri: 8:30AM-4:30PM
 

Department of Mental Hygiene and Social Services

15 Lucas Street,
Dunkirk, NY 14048

716-679-9881

Mon -Fri: 8:30AM-4:30PM
 

Department of Mental Hygiene and Social Services

7 N. Erie St,
Mayville, NY 14757

716-753-4421

Mon -Fri: 8:30AM-4:30PM
CLOSED JUNE 19TH

Ellington-Farman Free Library

760 Thornton Rd, Ellington, NY 14732

716-287-2945

Mon - Thurs: 11:00AM-7:00PM; Sat: 10:00AM-1:00PM

Hazeltine Public Library

891 Busti-Sugar Grove Rd, Jamestown, NY 14701

716-487-1281

Mon, Wed, Fri: 1:00PM-5:00PM & 6:30PM-8:30PM; Tues & Thurs: 9:00AM-5:00PM; Sat: 9:00AM-1:00PM

James Prendergast Library Assoc.

509 Cherry St, Jamestown, NY 14701

716-484-7135

Mon - Thurs: 10:00AM-8:30PM; Fri: 10:00AM-5:00PM; Sat: 10:00AM-4:00PM

Joy Fellowship Free Methodist Church

515 E 7th Street, Jamestown, NY 14701

716-484-1542

Mon, Wed, Fri: 10:00AM-2:00PM

Lakewood Memorial Library

12 W Summit Street, Lakewood, NY 14750

716-763-6234

Mon: 10:00AM-6:00PM; Tues: 10:00AM-8:00PM; Wed: 10:00AM-6:00PM; Thurs: 10:00AM-8:00PM; Fri: 10:00AM-6:00PM; Sat: 10:00AM-2:00PM

Myers Memorial Library

6 Falconer Street, Frewsburg, NY 14738

716-569-5515

Mon-Fri: 10:00AM-1:00PM, 3:00PM - 6:00PM; Sat: 10:00AM-1:00PM

Sinclairville Free Library

15 Main St, Sinclairville, NY 14782

716-962-5885

Mon, Thurs: 2:00PM-7:00PM; Wed: 9:00AM-5:00PM; Fri: 10:00AM- 4:00PM; Sat: 10:00AM-1:00PM