CHICAGO (CBS) — Experts say it’s important to plan for the high temperatures are coming to the Chicago areathat are coming up because people might be going out for Father’s Day.
Doctors say any time the weather spikes, they are sure to see an increase in the number of patients in area hospitals. That’s why it’s essential to plan and be strategic when dealing with the heat.
There were large crowds at Chicago’s Monroe Harbor on Saturday as people tried to stay cool as temperatures rose.
The Chicago Office of Emergency Management said people should drink enough water, avoid nature, wear loose cotton clothing, keep pets out of closed cars — even for a few minutes — and check in with friends, family and neighbors.
Over the next few days, heat indexes in the area will top 100, meaning high heat combined with muggy conditions – a recipe for heat-related health problems.
“If you look at a humidity above 60, which essentially envelops an individual, and doesn’t allow heat to actually escape into the environment, you can cool down, so the humidity in combination with higher temperatures creates when we get involved in the emergency department help, and, frankly, with the city and public health officials,” said Dr. George Chiampas, an emergency sports medicine physician at Northwestern Medicine.
One way to plan ahead is to make sure you go outside with someone else and take immediate action if there are any signs of a heat-related illness, such as confusion, dizziness or lightheadedness.
