Thursday, July 21, 2011

Be careful outside on Friday

Purple haze over Ninigret Pond
The National Weather Service has issued an Extreme Heat weather advisory as well as an Air Quality Alert for all of South County.

Temperature, humidity and ozone pollution will be especially bad during the afternoon hours.

The combination of temperature and humidity is expected to produce a Heat Index of over 100 degrees. The air is expected to be unhealthy to people, especially children and the elderly, with respiratory problems.

Here are the recommended precautions:




AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING MEANS THAT A PROLONGED PERIOD OF
DANGEROUSLY HOT TEMPERATURES WILL OCCUR. THE COMBINATION OF HOT
TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL COMBINE TO CREATE A DANGEROUS
SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE LIKELY. AVOID PROLONGED
WORK IN THE SUN OR IN POORLY VENTILATED AREAS. DRINK PLENTY OF
FLUIDS...STAY IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENT...STAY OUT OF THE
SUN...AND CHECK IN ON RELATIVES AND NEIGHBORS.

TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS IF YOU WORK OR SPEND TIME OUTSIDE.  WHEN
POSSIBLE...RESCHEDULE STRENUOUS ACTIVITIES TO EARLY MORNING OR
EVENING. KNOW THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HEAT EXHAUSTION AND HEAT
STROKE. WEAR LIGHT WEIGHT AND LOOSE FITTING CLOTHING WHEN
POSSIBLE AND DRINK PLENTY OF WATER.

TO REDUCE RISK DURING OUTDOOR WORK...THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND
HEALTH ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS SCHEDULING FREQUENT REST BREAKS
IN SHADED OR AIR CONDITIONED ENVIRONMENTS. ANYONE OVERCOME BY
HEAT SHOULD BE MOVED TO A COOL AND SHADED LOCATION. HEAT STROKE
IS AN EMERGENCY - CALL 9 1 1.