Tips for staying cool and safe in record-breaking hot temps

CLEVELAND - As predicted, Cleveland and surrounding areas have experienced above 90 degree temperatures in recent days. So the city of Cleveland and the Department of Public Health want to make sure the public is safe.

Hydration has been the most used term for beating the summer heat, that is according to Cleveland's Director of Public Health Karen Butler.

"Definitely stay hydrated drink lots of water avoid liquids that have high alcohol content, lots of sugar or caffeine because they tend to cause the body to lose a lot of water," she said.

Butler said it is best to stay indoors as much as possible. However, if you don't have the advantage of air conditioning inside your home; she said you should take advantage of libraries and malls as a means of getting out of the heat.

Cleveland has opened up its recreational centers to the general public as places of refuges with cool air.

"There's a list of locations that are close to most of our viewers and we urge them to take advantage of them," Butler said. On the list are Alta House, Clark, Collinwood, Earle B. Turner, Fairfax, Gunning Park, Halloran, Kenneth L. Johnson, John F. Kennedy, Thurgood Marshall, Zelma Watson George, and Michael Zone recreation centers.

Butler said seniors and children are among the most susceptible to heat exhaustion; as well as, people who have physical and mental illnesses.

Local mother Michelle Thompson brings a group of children to the Collinwood Recreation cooling center everyday to keep them out of the sun.

"It's a good thing for them because it's hot, so the kids enjoy the water," she said.

Thompson said it's a nice, clean, and safe environment where they can beat the heat and boredom of sitting at home with nothing to do.

"It's hot outside and everything, but this calms them down because they're in the water, after a couple of hours they go home, eat lunch, they're ready to take a nap," the mother said.

For those who have no other choice and have to be out in the sun, Butler said, "Try to use sunscreen if they can have have sunglasses or wide brimmed hat that keeps the sun directly off of them."

She also said you should consider limiting your outdoor activities to morning and evening hours. You should also cut down on outdoor exercise.

Electric fans may provide comfort, but when the temperature is in the high 90s, fans will not prevent heat-related illness. Taking a cool shower or bath, or moving to an air-conditioned place is a much better way to cool off.

Remember to never leave a person or animal in a closed, parked vehicle.