As Heat Wave Continues in Southwest, Intermountain Health Experts Urges Safety Precaution

As different parts of the U.S., especially the southwest and intermountain regions, are dealing with record breaking temperatures and forecasts of triple digit temperatures, the risks of being in the heat for too long can include dehydration, heat exhaustion, and other related illnesses that could result in hospitalization. Experts from Intermountain Health are urging everyone to take precautions and seek relief from the extreme heat with these tips:

1. Take Precautions. This includes drinking plenty of water, eating a proper diet, and avoiding strenuous activity during the hottest parts of the day are the simplest ways to avoid having problems.

Everyone, regardless of age, should be drinking at least 60 to 90 ounces of water daily, said Kabir Vohra, MD, Intermountain Health senior care physician.

“Having a humidifier in the home, especially at night while sleeping, would be a great help,” said Dr. Vohra. “Air conditioners can dry the air out in the house. Plus, there can be outdoor particles being brought in from them. Running both an air conditioner and humidifier together at night is very beneficial to being healthy and comfortable in the home. Along with this, making sure your air conditioning filter is changed every three months by a professional will help with circulation around the home as well as keeping costs low for air conditioning.”

2. Car Safety. Car safety is exceedingly important, especially with children, whose bodies can heat up three to five times faster than an adult, according to Dr. Vohra.

“Never leave a child or pet in a hot car, even for only a few minutes. Also, consider allowing a few minutes to allow air conditioning to cool the interior of your vehicle before driving,” said Dr. Vohra.

3. Stay Inside. If possible, stay indoors during the hottest times of the day – between 12 and 3 pm. Refrain from physical activities on concrete or artificial turf, as these surfaces tend to soak up more of the sun’s energy and can increase the heat in the area by several degrees.

“Although, still trying to get 15-20 minutes of sunlight daily will be helpful for vitamin D levels. Just pick the cooler times of sunlight- early in the morning or later at night,” said Dr. Vohra.

4. Use Sunscreen. Be sure to apply sunscreen to protect your skin when you are outside. “Anything over SPF 50 sunscreen is actually doing the same work as SPF 50. You do not need more than SPF 50 for any type of skin color,” said Dr. Vohra.

5. Check on the Elderly and Medically-Vulnerable. Dr. Vohra recommends routinely check on elderly and other vulnerable populations, and ensure your loved ones are safe.

6. Don’t Walk on Hot Surfaces. Avoid walking barefoot on hot surfaces, especially with your pets. Pets’ paws can be burned as well from hot pavement and other surfaces.

Intermountain Health’s top priority is the safety and well-being of our patients, caregivers, visitors, and members of our community.

About Intermountain Health

Headquartered in Utah with locations in six states and additional operations across the western U.S., Intermountain Health is a nonprofit system of 33 hospitals, 385 clinics, medical groups with some 4,600 employed physicians and advanced care providers, a health plans division called Select Health with more than one million members, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes at sustainable costs. For more information or updates, see https://intermountainhealthcare.org/news.