'Water, Rest And Shade.' Local Officials Share Advice For Dealing With Heat

While summer has not officially begun, step outside and it would be easy to mistakenly assume it has. Things are hot, and they’re only going to get hotter. And of course, intense heat can lead to dangerous conditions.

James Tiger is the environmental health director for Chatham County Public Health. He stopped by News On The Hill during heat awareness week to help spread that awareness.

“May is officially the start of heat season for us. We’re in phase one. Heat’s dangerous, extreme heat can be very dangerous. It is often referred to as a silent killer, kinda like blood pressure. Historically we’ve had about 11 days over 95 degrees, but by the 2060s, that number is projected to increase to 46 days annually. Just last year we had 27 days over a heat index of a hundred degrees.”

He said that while carefully considered and limited heat exposure can help some people grapple with some of its effects, it remains quite serious for specific populations.

“It’s especially dangerous for older people, the young people that work outdoors, if you have a preexisting condition in some medications,” he said. “And it is becoming a bigger problem, you know, locally in our county, but also statewide, emergency room visits for heat-related illness have increased.”

He said staying safe in the heat often comes down to careful planning and staying aware of your own body’s response.

“Try to do that outdoor work at the cooler parts of the day rather than in the middle of the day when it’s the hottest,” he said. “And then find shade, take frequent breaks and kind of listen to yourself. Everybody’s heat response is gonna be different because it’s a very personal thing.”

Chapel Hill Community Sustainability Manager John Richardson said that while there are many ways to deal with heat, the simplest strategy comes down to three words: water, rest, and shade.

“If you’re out in the heat and you can’t avoid the heat, think about drinking lots of water,” he said. “In terms of rest, think about frequent breaks, getting out and away from physical activity if you can. And then as far as shade, you know, find some shade if you’re outside or preferably find some air conditioning if you can get indoors for a little bit.”

He echoed Tiger’s sentiment that a good deal of heat safety comes down to understanding individual reactions to high temperatures from yourself and those around you. He also highlighted ways Orange County is planning to get ahead of the heat.

“Here in Orange County, we partnered with Hillsborough, Carrboro and the county to develop our first heat action plan,” he said. “We’re interested in education and outreach, so thinking about what’s happening before heat arrives. We’re also interested in actions and strategies that address emergency response, so when the heat is here. And then also long-term mitigation strategies like the cooling of homes and communities.”

Tiger shared some of the ways Chatham County is similarly preparing to help citizens mitigate the harshest effects of high temperatures.

“If you need a ride to a cooling center, Chatham Transit can provide that no charge,” he said. “We’ve also got some box fans for distribution. We’ve got some warm weather bags that we’ve put together for distribution. We’re trying to get ahead of it and support Chathamites.”

You can listen to our full conversation with James Tiger here, and our conversation with John Richardson and two other Chapel Hill officials here.

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‘Water, Rest And Shade.’ Local Officials Share Advice For Dealing With Heat

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