How to stay safe and the signs of heat stroke, exhaustion. What to know before Indy's heat wave

Indianapolis Star

5 hours ago

It's going to heat up over the next week in Indy.
According to a forecast from the National Weather Service in Indianapolis, we may see heat indices in the triple digits on June 22 and 23.
It's important that Hoosiers know the signs of serious illness during a heat risk and how to stay safe and cool during a heat wave.
Here's what to know.
Older Hoosiers and young children are most at risk during extreme heat events. To stay safe and prepared, here's what the experts suggest:
The American Red Cross
The National Weather Service
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Three main heat-related illnesses to be on the lookout for are heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
If any of the following symptoms are evident in you or another person: move to a cooler area, loosen any clothing and sip cool water. Seek a medical professional if any of the symptoms don't improve within an hour.
Heat cramps may be the first sign of illness that could lead to more serious symptoms. Cramps shows up as painful muscle cramps or spasms along with heavy sweating, according to NWS. Use firm pressure on the cramping muscles and massage them gently.
Heat exhaustion will show up as heavy sweating, weakness or tiredness with cool and clammy skin. The person's pulse may be quick but weak and they may exhibit dizziness or nausea. Immediately move the person to an air-conditioned room, loosen clothing and apply cool, wet cloth to the skin.
Heat stroke needs immediate medical attention, so call 9-1-1 or get the patient to a hospital. Heat stroke can appear as throbbing headaches, confusion, nausea, dizziness, body temperatures above 103 degrees. The patient's skin can also appear red with a lack of sweat. This is a serious illness and delays in medical care can be fatal.
NWS: Next week's heat wave could feel as hot as 105 degrees in Indianapolis
Groups that may be particularly vulnerable to heat include:
It is never safe to leave a child, disabled person or pet locked in a car. For more information about how cars can heat up quickly when left in the sun, check the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website in both English and Spanish.
While this applies all year round, it is especially important on warm or hot summer days.
Every year, hundreds of pets die from heat exhaustion because they are left in parked vehicles, according to the American Veterinarian Medical Association. The temperature inside a vehicle can rise almost 20° F in just 10 minutes, and almost 30° F in 20 minutes.
The longer a pet, child or person is inside a car turned off in the heat, the higher it goes.
At one hour, your vehicle's inside temperature can be more than 40 degrees higher than the outside temperature. Even on a 70-degree day, that's 110 degrees inside a car.
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Indiana residents can call 211 or 866-211-9966 to find cooling centers near them. Indiana 211 is a helpline providing Hoosiers with the information they need to stay safe during the extreme heat this summer.
You can find a list of current cooling centers in your area on Indiana 211's website.
Report or add a cooling center by contacting the Indiana 211 resource team by email at [e-mail].
Para residentes hispanohablantes en Indiana, IndyStar tiene una página web de recursos para el tiempo en Español. La página web es accesible aquí y visite weather.gov/ind/espanol a encontrar el pronóstico del tiempo diario, condiciones próximas e información adicional de seguridad.